Conjunctivitis is a common problem for children and a frequent reason for visits to an eye doctor. While adults can and do get this condition quite often, too, it is particularly prevalent amongst young children. Sore, itchy eyes cause problems for the child and there is often a knock-on effect for the whole family, with sleepless nights and missed days at school and nursery. 

It’s important to get the right help for conjunctivitis quickly. This can help symptoms disappear sooner and a return to normal life can come quicker. There are important health reasons you should get suspected conjunctivitis checked by an eye doctor, too. 

Read on to find out the right course of action and the answers to many parents’ questions, including ‘what is conjunctivitis and how is it treated?’  

What is conjunctivitis?

Conjunctivitis is often known as ‘pink eye’. This is because a red or pink eye is one of its most common symptoms. 

The disease is an inflammation of the conjunctiva. The conjunctiva is the mucous membrane that lines the exposed portion of the eyeball and the inner eyelids. 

What are the major symptoms?

• A red or pink eye caused by inflammation
• Teary eyes or a discharge coming from the eye. This discharge can take several different forms, including being mucousy  
• Sore, itchy, gritty, uncomfortable or burning eyes
• Eyelids may be stuck together upon waking 
• With conjunctivitis caused by a viral infection, the child may have other symptoms such as a sore throat or runny nose

An eye doctor would examine the reaction of the conjunctiva and the type of discharge to make a diagnosis of conjunctivitis. 

What causes it?

Conjunctivitis is usually caused by either a viral infection, bacterial infection, or by an allergic reaction like hay fever or medication allergy. 

Bacterial conjunctivitis

Bacterial conjunctivitis is very common. It’s often characterized by particularly sore and gritty eyes. Discharge is mucousy / gooey, which often results in the eyelids sticking together during sleep.

Bacterial conjunctivitis is very contagious. Your child will probably have picked up the infection through contact with another infected person or by touching a contaminated surface and then their eye area. Sometimes, bacterial conjunctivitis is caused by the spread of another bacterial infection from nearby, such as a sinus or ear infection. 

Viral conjunctivitis

Viral conjunctivitis is also very contagious. This type is spread through an airborne virus which is transmitted through coughs and sneezes, and then finger to eye contact. There are two types of viral conjunctivitis, namely pharyngoconjunctival fever (PCF) and epidemic keratoconjunctivitis (EKC), that spread from person to person in an epidemic form. 

It is easy for contagious conditions, like both viral and bacterial conjunctivitis, to spread quickly amongst children as they spend lots of time near one another during play at nursery or school. They also may not be as scrupulous as adults with hand hygiene or avoiding touching their face too often. 

Not all conjunctivitis is contagious, however, as seen below. 

Allergic conjunctivitis

Allergic conjunctivitis is triggered by airborne antigens. Children may have an allergy to pollens, mold spores, grass or many others. Contact with these results in very itchy, red eyes.

Allergic conjunctivitis will often be seasonal and associated with hay fever, so spring or summer time can be a difficult time for those suffering from it.  Up to 40% of the population are thought to be affected in this way. 

Other types of conjunctivitis affecting children

There are a few other causes of conjunctivitis which are both more rare and more serious. Occasionally, conjunctivitis is associated with serious systemic disorders and diseases, including Kawasaki disease and Stevens-Johnson syndrome. This is why it is important to visit your eye doctor to discuss your child’s suspected conjunctivitis.

What should I do if I think my child has conjunctivitis? 

Leading eye doctors in Dubai recommend the following course of action.

Visit your family eye doctor

Very many cases of conjunctivitis are not a serious cause for concern. However, it is important to visit an eye doctor as soon as possible if you suspect conjunctivitis. This will hopefully enable your doctor to rule out serious causes of conjunctivitis. While it is rare, discovering a critical root cause of conjunctivitis quickly can occasionally be life saving. 

Seeing a doctor quickly is especially important for newborn babies. Usually, however, your eye doctor will be able to diagnose conjunctivitis caused by a bacterial infection. For newborn babies, a common cause of conjunctivitis is through infection while in the birth canal.

Follow your doctor’s treatment plan

Your eye doctor will recommend a treatment plan based on the type of conjunctivitis your child has and the severity of symptoms. Following their advice will help to alleviate symptoms greatly and hopefully clear any infection quicker. 

Common treatments include antibiotic eye drops or ointments for bacterial conjunctivitis. It is important to complete the full course of antibiotic treatments to eradicate the infection. 

Viral conjunctivitis cannot be treated by antibiotics but it is a self-limiting condition, meaning it will go away on its own with time.

There are also many supportive therapies that can help manage uncomfortable symptoms. These might include soothing eye drops, antihistamines and decongestants.

Keep your child home

Seeing an eye doctor for a conjunctivitis diagnosis and treatment can also help limit the spread of infection amongst other family members and the wider community. It is really important to follow your doctor’s advice when it comes to the length of time recommended to stay at home as this can prevent many other people from being infected. 

Your doctor’s advice will be guided by the type of conjunctivitis your child has and the stage of infection. Most often, they will recommend that symptoms should have disappeared before the child can rejoin their classmates.

Remember, too, that your child will be uncomfortable with their symptoms and is unlikely to enjoy or benefit from their schooling so much during this period. 

Do I need to worry about it affecting my child’s vision or eye health long-term?

Most cases of conjunctivitis are caused by an infection or an allergic reaction. These should cause no long-term issues to your child’s eye health, as long as the condition is treated promptly. Permanent damage is rare and only occurs when symptoms are severe and left untreated.  

Infections will clear up quickly within a week or two. However, allergic conjunctivitis is likely to be a recurrent problem that flares up with each contact with the allergen, unfortunately.

If your child’s conjunctivitis does not clear up quickly, then they may be suffering from a form of chronic conjunctivitis. It would be wise to return to the eye clinic if symptoms are not improving with treatment or if they are still present after a couple of weeks.  
All in all, conjunctivitis is a common but uncomfortable condition that is usually straightforward to treat and rarely a cause for serious concern. Just be sure to take your child to an eye doctor promptly for the best outcome.

AUTHOR BIO:

Dr. Millicent M. Grim, Specialist Ophthalmologist & LASIK Specialist, is the Medical Director of Gulf Eye Center in Dubai. Since 2002, Gulf Eye Center’s highly qualified ophthalmologists and optometrists/ODs have been successfully treating a wide range of eye conditions using advanced techniques. They also provide comprehensive eye care and vision restoration procedures for people of all ages.