When Is an Eye Infection a Cause for Concern?
Eye infections are usually easy to spot because of persistent itching, apparent redness, and other bothersome symptoms. The tricky part is knowing to distinguish a simple case of pink eye from a dangerous eye infection that has the potential to cause permanent vision loss. The human eye is an extremely complex organ that consists of 10 general components, any of these parts can become the breeding ground for various germs - bacteria, viruses, and even fungi.
While minor eye infections can heal on their own, others can inflict serious damage and need urgent medical care. In this article, we review 6 common types of eye infections and the signs of a dangerous eye infection.
6 Common Types of Eye Infections
Conjunctivitis
Also known as pink eye, conjunctivitis is
the infection of the conjunctiva, a thin clear membrane that protects
the eyelid. Pink eye is by far the most widespread and well-recognized
eye infection. Most cases of pink eye are caused by viruses, but
bacterial and allergic conjunctivitis are also common
In most cases, conjunctivitis is easy to
spot because it makes the eye turn pinkish and produces a viscous
discharge that is the thickest when you wake up. The good news is, most
cases of pink eye will go away on their own within days or a few weeks,
although you may need to get antibiotic eye drops to clear up bacterial
conjunctivitis.
Read more about pink eye remedies here - 4 Simple Tips to Get Rid of
Pink Eye at Home. see this in the Home remedies post where I'll be putting it next
Blepharitis
Blepharitis is an inflammation of your eyelids. It occurs when the tiny
oil glands at the base of your lashes get clogged up. Patients with
blepharitis experience burning in the eyes and they may notice
dandruff-like flakes or crusts along the waterline and lashes.
Blepharitis can also make your eyes sensitive to light and cause blurry
vision.
People with oily skin, dandruff, and rosacea are more likely to get this
condition. Since most cases are bacterial, you’ll likely need special
eye drops to recover from blepharitis.
Styes and Chalazia
Both of these conditions affect the eyelids
and look very similar, although a chalazion is a blocked oil gland and a
stye is an infection of the eyelash follicle. The conditions appear as
swelling or red bumps on the eyelids that are itchy and painful to the
touch.
Both styes and chalazia are usually not an emergency and can be treated
at home by applying a clean, warm, damp compress to the affected eye for
20 minutes several times a day. It should disappear in about a week.
However, some chalazia can grow so large that they limit your vision and
may require surgical removal.
Keratitis
Keratitis affects the cornea, a transparent domed membrane of the pupil
and iris. Any type of germ, be it a virus, bacterium, fungi, or parasite
can trigger keratitis, and the dangerous condition can cause lasting
vision damage if ignored. Note: severe dry eye can also lead to
keratitis.
Corneal infections are extremely painful
and accompanied by redness, swelling, blurry vision, and light
sensitivity. Keratitis is a medical emergency that requires urgent
diagnosis and treatment. If you don’t treat keratitis, it will get worse
and may lead to blindness.
Uveitis
Uveitis is an inflammation of the center of
the eyeball - the uvea - that supplies blood to the retina, the part of
your eye that perceives visual information. Eye injuries, viruses, and
immune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis make you more likely to
develop uveitis.
The condition causes light sensitivity, blurry vision, “floaters” in the
visual field, and redness that can come and go. Uveitis doesn’t always
cause pain - so it’s more likely to be reported later. If you experience
any of these symptoms, seek medical help, as uveitis can damage vital
tissues and cause blindness.
Endophthalmitis
Our eyeballs are filled with two types of fluids that help maintain the
shape of the eye. When those fluids become infected, a condition called
endophthalmitis develops. This can happen as a result of eye injury or
as a complication of eye surgery. Endophthalmitis is characterized by
blurry vision, pain, redness in and around the eye, sensitivity to
lights, and partial or complete vision loss.
Since the condition can develop very fast, these symptoms shouldn’t be
ignored and always requires urgent medical care to prevent blindness or
vision loss.
What are the common symptoms of an eye infection?
We have already outlined some of the main
symptoms of eye infections above, but here is a concise list that may
further help you. Note that symptoms can occur in both eyes or one eye
only. We marked the signs that require emergency care as urgent.
What you may feel:
Pain
Itchiness
Burning
A feeling that there is something in your eye
Light sensitivity
Your eyelid is painful or tender when you touch it
Fever
Swollen lymph nodes on the neck.
What you may see:
Your eyes produce more tears
Yellow, clear, or green discharge
Crustiness around the eyelashes or corner of the eye
T
he "whites" of your eyes are pink or red
Swollen or red eyelids
Hypopyon - a yellow or greenish substance at the bottom of the iris
(the colored part of the eye), (urgent)
Cloudy cornea (urgent).
Changes in vision:
Blurry vision (urgent)
“Floaters” in the visual field
Vision loss (urgent).
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