Eye Infections
Many types of eye infection exist, but they are caused by three main agents: viruses, bacteria, and fungi. These small organisms move into different parts of your eye and set up shop, hampering your eyesight and causing redness, swelling, pain, itching and other symptoms. These organisms can get into your eye multiple ways, such as contact with your hand or another person’s, a wound or trauma, or a poorly cleaned contact lens.
Because the eye is such a complex organism
with so many moving parts, infections can reside
in many small areas of the eye, making it very
difficult to dentify without professional help.
Infections are never good and can be particularly painful and difficult to deal with. Left untreated, they can lead to even more serious consequences and even blindness. If you have an eye infection, therefore, it’s crucial that you address it immediately by seeing a qualified, professional eye doctor right away.
Whether or not you or a member of your family has an eye infection currently, it’s important to have a relationship with an optometrist. That way, when an emergency does crop up, you know exactly where to go. Even when your vision isn’t threatened, it’s a good idea to see an optometrist at least once a year to get your vision checked and watch for signs of eye disease so you can protect your eyesight for life.
One of the most common eye infections, for instance, is conjunctivitis, also known as pink eye. It is caused by a common cold virus and is most common in children, but adults can get it too. It is quite contagious, easily passed from person to person through direct contact or intermediary surfaces. Other infections include blepharitis, or infection of your eyelid; vitritis, or infection of the eye’s fluid; and keratitis, infection of the cornea, among many others.
Get an Eye Exam from a Qualified Eye Doctor!
It’s important to see an eye doctor for an
eye exam as soon as the smallest signs of
infection crop up. When you wait on treatment,
infections frequently get worse, not better.
Symptoms to watch for include:
• Itching
• Redness
• Swelling
• Weeping
• Crustiness
• Pain
• Stinging
• Trouble seeing
• Styes
• Blepharitis
• Ocular herpes
• Conjunctivitis - Pink eye
When you come in, our eye doctor will perform an eye exam to get to the root cause of your symptoms. If an eye infection is at fault, we will prescribe a course of treatment to combat it and get your vision back to normal as quickly as possible. In the event that your symptoms are caused by a true eye disease, we will make a management plan to help protect your eyesight for life.
