What causes eye infections?

You can develop eye infections from viruses, bacteria, or fungi. They can affect both eyes at once or just one eye.

The most common eye infections are:

• Conjunctivitis, or pink eye, a contagious condition causing redness and inflammation of the mucous membrane lining the eye surface
• Blepharitis, an inflammation of your eyelid
• Keratitis, an inflammation of your cornea
• Sty, a bump on the eyelid resulting from a bacterial infection of the follicle of your eyelash

You can develop an infection through contact with contaminated individuals, surfaces, or objects. Many eye infections are highly contagious and easily spread, especially among children. It’s important to wash your hands properly and avoid touching your eyes to prevent catching or spreading an infection.

What are the symptoms of an eye infection?

You can experience a variety of symptoms as the result of an eye infection. These symptoms may include:

• Pain
• Itching
• Redness
• Frequent watering
• Sensitivity to bright lights
• Yellow or green discharge

It’s also common to feel a persistent sensation that something is in your eye. You may find it difficult to open your eyes in the morning due to the drying of discharge.

When infections are in the back of your eye, you may not experience any symptoms. For this reason, it’s important to have regular eye exams so Dr. Jadav can detect early signs of infection.

What treatment options are available for eye infections?

Dr. Jadav determines the cause of the infection. If it’s due to a virus, he may not recommend a treatment, as most viral infections resolve on their own. However, serious viral infections like shingles may require an antiviral medication to prevent eye damage.

For bacterial and fungal infections, Dr. Jadav may prescribe medications, either oral or in eye drops, that you must use for a period of time to ensure the infection clears properly.

If you have blepharitis, Dr. Jadav may recommend a procedure that deep cleans your eyelid to improve your comfort and an antibiotic to control inflammation. Because blepharitis is a contributing factor to dry eye syndrome, Dr. Jadav may also evaluate the efficiency of your tear production and the quality of your tears.

If you suspect you have an eye infection, don’t delay treatment. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Jadav online or by phone to learn more about available treatment options.