Eye Flu: रातो आखाँ हुने कारण र उपचार

What is Eye Flu? How to treat Eye Flu?

Table of Contents (toc)

Before moving to eye flu also called viral conjunctivitis, lets know what are the causes of Red eye.

Here is the list of causes of red eye:

1. Infection of eyelid (blepheritis)
2. Infection of conjunctiva (conjunctivitis)
3. Bleeding in conjunctiva (white part)
1. Various things may cause this condition
4. Episcleritis
5. Scleritis
6. Iridocuclitis
7. Glaucoma
8. Corneal (window) abrasion / trauma
9. Keratitis (inflammation of cornea)
10. Endophthalmitis
11. Panophthalmitis
12. Orbial cellulitis
13. Allergy and irritant exposure

Out of these causes, Viral conjunctivitis is recently spreading in Nepal and India and has become the topic of discussion.

Now lets talk about eye flu or conjunctivitis.

Eye flu

What is Conjunctivitis?

Conjunctivitis means inflammation of Conjunctiva. 

Conjunctival inflammation characterized by hyperemia associated with discharge that may be watery, mucoid, mucopurulent or purulent.

Conjuntivitis can have various symptoms as listed below.

Symptoms of eye infection (conjunctivitis)

1. Discomfort in eye
2. Foreign body sensation
3. Discharge from eye
• Watery
• Mucus like
• Pus like
4. Matted sticky eyelids  and lid margins
5. Difficulty opening eye in morning with discharge and sticky lids
6. Blurring of visionBlurring of vision (cannot see well)
7. Photophobia (pain or discomfort in light especially bright)
8. Colored halos

Signs of Conjunctivitis / Signs of eye flu

1. Red conjunctiva , fiery red eye
2. Chemosis (swelling of conjunctiva)
3. Hemorrhages (small bleeding)
4. Flakes of discharge
5. Matted or sticky cilia or hair
6. Edematous eyelids

What causes red eye, eye flu or conjunctivitis

1. Infective
1. Bacterial
2. Viral
3. Fungal
4. Chlamydial
2. Allergic (Not infection)
1. Atopic
2. Vernal
3. Contact
3. Cicatricial (Not infection)
1. Pemphigoid
2. SJS
4. Toxic or chemical (Not infection)
1. Due to harmful irritant chemicals

bacterial vs viral vs allergic conjunctivitis

Names of the bacteria that can cause eye fly or conjunctivitis?

1. S aureus
2. S epidermidis
3. Strep pneumoniae
4. Strep pyogens
5. H influenzae
6. N gonorrhoeae
7. N meningitidis

Names of the viruses that can cause eye fly or conjunctivitis?

1. Adenovirus
2. HSV
3. Pox virus
4. Myxovirus
5. Paramyxovirus
6. Arbovirus

Causes of eye infection eye flu / Risk factors

1. Poor hygiene
2. Flies
3. Lack of clean water
4. Hot climate
5. Not handwashing properly
6. Close contact with people with innfection without proper care
7. Not washing hands and face time to time
8. Immune compromised state

How to know bacterial vs viral vs allergic conjunctivitis

	Bacterial	Viral	Allergic
Systemic symptoms.	Usually none.	May be part of a viral prodrome followed by adenopathy, fever, pharyngitis, and upper respiratory tract infection. There may be an enlarged and tender preauricular node.	Nasal congestion, sneezing, wheezing.
Itching.	Limited to none.	Limited to none. Primary complaint is grittiness, burning or irritation.	Primary complaint. May also report grittiness, burning, or irritation.
Ocular discharge.	Purulent, may be yellow, white, or green. Recurs at lid margins and corners of the eye within minutes of wiping lids.	Watery with strands of mucus.	Watery.
Conjunctival appearance.	Pink or red.	Pink or red. Very rarely hemorrhagic. Tarsal conjunctiva may have a follicular or "bumpy" appearance.	Pink. Bulbar conjunctiva may be chemotic (puffy). Tarsal conjunctiva may have a follicular or "bumpy" appearance.

Treatment of Viral Conjunctivitis / EYE FLU without discharge

• Self-limiting course of 5-7 days 
• No specific effective curative treatment is known. 
• Antibiotics not required in most cases
• Broad spectrum antibiotic eye drops to prevent secondary bacterial infections. (with doctor consultation only)

Treatment of bacteria Conjunctivitis / EYE FLU with discharge

1. Antibiotics drops
2. Irrigation with saline or water twice daily (do not wash too often)
3. Topical or systemic painkillers like ibuprofen or paracetamol
4. Dark goggles help with photophobia and irritation but will not prevent transmission
5. Do not apply bandage
6. Do not compress
7. Do not use steroid drops or systemic steroids

Eye Flu home treatment

Avoid topical corticosteroids and topical NSAIDS – Ophthalmic corticosteroids (alone or in combination preparations) should not be prescribed by primary care clinicians for acute conjunctivitis; they can cause sight-threatening complications when used inappropriately. Ketorolac should not be used to treat allergic conjunctivitis. Topical NSAIDS (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) are associated with corneal adverse effect in susceptible patients. (See 'No role for corticosteroid use' above and 'Allergic' above.)

Infection control and return to work or school

Bacterial and viral conjunctivitis are highly contagious. Advise patients to limit spread by avoiding direct contact with secretions or contaminated objects (eg, makeup, contact lenses). (See 'Preventing contagion' above and 'Returning to work, school, or sports' above.)

For bacterial conjunctivitis, postpone return to school or work until 24 hours of treatment and resolution of discharge.

Patients with viral conjunctivitis may remain infectious for a variable period related to the underlying viral syndrome; return to activities is individualized.

FAQs

1. What causes pink eyes?
   It is inflammation of eye and conjuntiva usually caused by infections, including bacteria and viruses. 
   It may also be caused by allergy, irritants and trauma as well.
   
   
   
2. How can you tell it's infection?
   Generally bacterial infection will lead to thick discharge while viral infection leads to watery discharge. 
   
   
3. How to prevent spreading to family and friends?
   Staying separate, washing hands often and not touching face helps. Do not share personal belongings and clean things that are touched often with detergents, or disinfectants.
    
4. How to allivate symptoms/irritation?
   Washing twice daily with water helps. Other tips include artificial tears, dark-goggles, warm compressions. Be careful not to overdo and consult doctor if symptoms are bothersome.
   
   
5. Is antibiotics necessary?
   It depends if infection is bacterial or viral. Bacterial infection needs antibiotics where as vireal infection doesn't need antibiotic.
   Consult a doctor to know if its bacterial or viral infection.
   
   
6. Can i wash my eyes often?
   No. Do not wash your eyes too often. This may lead to irritation and further injury. Wash twice daily and use artificial tears if necessary.