Editing Conjunctivitis (section)

{{short description| Inflammation of the eye}}
{{Redirect|Pinkeye|other uses|Pinkeye (disambiguation)}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}
{{More citations needed|date=May 2024}}{{Infobox medical condition (new)
| name            = Conjunctivitis
| image           = An eye with viral conjunctivitis.jpg
| caption         = An eye with viral conjunctivitis
| field           = [[Ophthalmology]], [[optometry]]
| synonyms        = Pink eye
| symptoms        = [[Reddish eye]], scratchiness<ref name=NIH2015/>
| complications   =
| onset           =
| duration        = Viral conjunctivitis: up to two weeks<ref>{{Cite book | vauthors = Long SS, Prober CG, Fischer M |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Xw7VDgAAQBAJ&pg=PA502 |title=Principles and Practice of Pediatric Infectious Diseases E-Book |date=2017 |publisher=Elsevier Health Sciences |isbn=978-0-323-46132-0 |page=502 |language=en}}</ref>
| causes          = [[viral infection|Viral]], [[bacterial infection|bacterial]], allergies<ref name=Az2013/>
| risks           =
| diagnosis       = Based on symptoms, [[microbial culture]]<ref name=NIH2015/>
| differential    =
| prevention      = [[Handwashing]]<ref name=NIH2015/>
| treatment       = Based on underlying cause<ref name=Az2013/>
| medication      =
| prognosis       =
| frequency       = 3–6 million per year (US)<ref name=NIH2015/><ref name=Az2013/>
| deaths          =
}}

'''Conjunctivitis''', also known as '''pink eye''' or '''Madras eye''',<ref>{{Cite web |title=What is Viral Conjunctivitis a.k.a. Sore Eyes? &#124; National Institutes of Health |url=http://nih.upm.edu.ph/health/what-viral-conjunctivitis-aka-sore-eyes}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Mohanasundaram AS, Gurnani B, Kaur K, Manikkam R | title = Madras eye outbreak in India: Why should we foster a better understanding of acute conjunctivitis? | journal = Indian Journal of Ophthalmology | volume = 71 | issue = 5 | pages = 2298–2299 | date = May 2023 | pmid = 37202982 | pmc = 10391441 | doi = 10.4103/IJO.IJO_3317_22 | doi-access = free }}</ref> is [[inflammation]] of the [[conjunctiva]], the thin, clear layer that covers the white surface of the eye and the inner [[eyelid]].<ref name="Peads10">{{cite journal | vauthors = Richards A, Guzman-Cottrill JA | title = Conjunctivitis | journal = Pediatrics in Review | volume = 31 | issue = 5 | pages = 196–208 | date = May 2010 | pmid = 20435711 | doi = 10.1542/pir.31-5-196 | s2cid = 245084568 }}</ref> It makes the eye appear pink or reddish.<ref name=NIH2015/> Pain, burning, scratchiness, or itchiness may occur.<ref name=NIH2015/> The affected eye may have increased tears or be "stuck shut" in the morning.<ref name=NIH2015/> Swelling of the [[sclera]] may also occur.<ref name=NIH2015/> Itching is more common in cases due to allergies.<ref name=Az2013/> Conjunctivitis can affect one or both eyes.<ref name=NIH2015/> 

The most common infectious causes in adults are viral, whereas in children bacterial causes predominate.<ref name="Durand 2023">{{cite journal | vauthors = Durand ML, Barshak MB, Sobrin L | title = Eye Infections | journal = The New England Journal of Medicine | volume = 389 | issue = 25 | pages = 2363–2375 | date = December 2023 | pmid = 38118024 | doi = 10.1056/NEJMra2216081 | s2cid = 266433325 }}</ref><ref name="Az2013">{{cite journal | vauthors = Azari AA, Barney NP | title = Conjunctivitis: a systematic review of diagnosis and treatment | journal = JAMA | volume = 310 | issue = 16 | pages = 1721–1729 | date = October 2013 | pmid = 24150468 | pmc = 4049531 | doi = 10.1001/jama.2013.280318 }}</ref> The viral infection may occur along with other symptoms of a [[common cold]].<ref name=NIH2015/> Both viral and bacterial cases are easily spread between people.<ref name=NIH2015/> Allergies to pollen or animal hair are also a common cause.<ref name=Az2013/> Diagnosis is often based on signs and symptoms.<ref name=NIH2015/> Occasionally, a sample of the discharge is sent for [[microbial culture|culture]].<ref name=NIH2015/>

<!-- Prevention and treatment -->
Prevention is partly by [[handwashing]].<ref name=NIH2015/> Treatment depends on the underlying cause.<ref name="NIH2015">{{Cite web |date=November 2015 |title=Facts About Pink Eye |url=https://nei.nih.gov/health/pinkeye/pink_facts |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160309104846/https://nei.nih.gov/health/pinkeye/pink_facts |archive-date=9 March 2016 |access-date=8 March 2016 |website=National Eye Institute |df=dmy-all}}</ref> In the majority of viral cases, there is no specific treatment.<ref name=Az2013/> Most cases due to a bacterial infection also resolve without treatment; however, [[antibiotic]]s can shorten the illness.<ref name=NIH2015/><ref name=Az2013/> People who wear [[contact lenses]] and those whose infection is caused by [[gonorrhea]] or [[Chlamydia infection|chlamydia]] should be treated.<ref name=Az2013/> Allergic cases can be treated with [[antihistamine]]s or [[mast cell inhibitor]] drops.<ref name=Az2013/>

About 3 to 6 million people get acute conjunctivitis each year in the United States.<ref name=NIH2015/><ref name=Az2013/> Typically, people get better in one or two weeks.<ref name=NIH2015/><ref name=Az2013/> If visual loss, significant pain, sensitivity to light or signs of [[herpes]] occur, or if symptoms do not improve after a week, further diagnosis and treatment may be required.<ref name=Az2013/> Conjunctivitis in a newborn, known as [[neonatal conjunctivitis]], may also require specific treatment.<ref name=NIH2015/>
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