What is Conjunctivitis

1. Red Eye or Acute Conjunctivitis?
Conjunctiva is a layer of transparent membrane covering the eyes. When it is inflamed or infected, it is known as conjunctivitis. Conjunctivitis is one of the most common eye diseases and it is usually infective in nature, either by virus or bacteria. Other causes include allergy, contact lens, air pollutant, or chemical agents.

2. What is the incubation period?
Usually one to twelve days, depending on different inciting agents. That means when one is exposed to the inciting agent, he/she may not develop the disease until as long as twelve days later.

3. How does one get conjunctivitis?
Conjunctivitis usually spreads through direct or indirect contact. The infective agent is present in the tears and discharge, which may then contaminate the sufferers' belongings like handkerchief, basin, towel, eyedrops or toys. Other people may get the disease if he/she comes into contact with these objects

4. What are the signs and symptoms?
Early: itchiness, scratching or foreign body sensation, congested and red eyes, discharge from eyes. Late: tearing, chemosis, severe red eyes and hemorrhage, lid swelling Both eyes can be affected at the same time or one eye may follow the other.
The disease process varies with different inciting agents. It may last from a few days to a few weeks. By the time there is no more redness and discharge, the disease ends. Conjunctivitis is usually a self-limiting disease without significant long-term consequences.

5. Nursing care and self care
Seek proper medical advice, apply medication as instructed and take adequate rest - Avoid strong light which may be uncomfortable to the eyes - To prevent the disease from spreading - Avoid sharing or towels, basin with family members. - To sterilize the towel, basin, bed cover, pillow cover and other contaminated self-belongings. Method: Put these things into - boiling water for 15-20 minutes to ensure complete eradication of the infective agents. - Used tissue paper should be properly disposed of into litterbin or flushed down the toilet. - Keep the hands clean, not to rub the eyes with fingers, and not to share eyedrops or cosmetics with others. - Always wash the hands before using eyedrops. - Patients should avoid using some public facilities, like swimming pool, before they have recovered