Eye infections can be pretty bothersome since you cannot work with an irritated eye. Working apart, you cannot perform your daily life tasks comfortably, and taking naps will not seem cozy as well. Moreover, conjunctivitis, or Viral pink eye, as we all know it, is a notorious infection that has been spoiling the days for so long. Most of us have had it once or maybe a lot more than once in our lives. Thus having some knowledge about it is crucial, isn’t it? You need to know how long is pink eye contagious and what are the aftermaths your body has to face once you get it.
Let’s dig right into the topic now!
Symptoms:
Following are some most common symptoms that people with conjunctivitis have reported over the past few years:
- Mucus production
- Itchy eyes
- The white part of the eyeball will be red
- Swelling
- Runny nose
- Irritable throat
- Teary eyes
- Crusty eyes, especially when the patient wakes up
Infective Period:
It is a major concern for most of you who are constantly scrolling about how long is pink eye contagious, but no answer will fit every scenario. That is because various types of this infection have different contagious periods.
If you are dealing with viral conjunctivitis, the period may be as short as a week to a fortnight or maybe as long as up to a month. That depends upon the nature and intensity of the infection. Mild cases clear up rapidly and thus do not spread as much as strong infections would.
On the other hand, bacterial conjunctivitis can take as little as three days to improve, and it would not be contagious after five days at most. The ophthalmologist may prescribe some antibiotic eyedrops or an ointment that will lessen the irritation and discomfort and lower the spreading chances.
In most cases, allergic conjunctivitis is not contagious as not everyone is sensitive to the same things. However, the common cold-like symptoms still make the people around the patient vulnerable.
How Does It Spread?
Viral and bacterial pink eye and ear infections are pretty easy to get if you are a bit oblivious to your hygiene. You can get it in plenty of ways, including:
- Physical contact with an infected person
- Touching any contaminated surface
- Hand-to-eye contact
- Respiratory tract droplets
You need to be careful if you are suffering from it or if a coworker or someone who stays close to you has it. But these are not the only possible ways for it to spread. Since pink eye has plenty of types, you never know when and where you might get off-guard to it.
Plus, the type determines how long is pink eye contagious. A dust particle may irritate the conjunctiva, or a makeup product that you trusted so much might give you chemical conjunctivitis. And if not any of the above, you might manage to get that sensitive thin film abrased by an allergic reaction to something in your surroundings. Many more types, like toxic keratoconjunctivitis, exist that spread in different ways.
What to Do?
If you or someone around you has gotten infected with it, or you just want to do your best to avoid it, here is what you can do:
- Keep your hands clean.
- Wear protective goggles while working in a dusty area or while dealing with chemicals.
- Do not use someone else’s contact lenses or makeup items.
- Rinse your eyes immediately with water if something feels off.
- Apply a cold compress to soothe itching or a warm compress to heal swelling.
- Use artificial tears or over-the-counter eyedrops if you have agitated, dry eyes.
- If it is too painful, visit the doctor right away so they may help alleviate the symptoms.
- Do not participate in gatherings till the contagious period is over.
Final Words:
Let’s conclude today’s discussion with a few important things that you must keep in mind once you get infected with a pink eye and ear infection. Firstly, depending on the type, i.e. viral pink eye or bacterial one, you must understand how long is pink eye contagious. After that, you must take all the necessary measures to prevent getting somebody else infected.
Additionally, no matter how trivial of an ailment you consider it to be, make sure that you pay attention to your hygiene and the medicine that your doctor has prescribed. If you do it right, nothing will hinder your way to a complete and rather swift recovery.
If you aim to know about Is Pink Eye Contagious? & How To Treat It? then Visit our Page to get the related and important knowledge about it. Moreover, Let us know any other skincare issues on your list because Easy Peasy Skincare is here to cover them for You!