Conjunctivitis is a very widely used term which refers to basically ANY condition where the thin “nylon-like” layer of skin that covers the white part of our eyes (the sclera) is inflamed for some reason.
This causes the eye to appear pink, hence the name “pink eye.” It could be due to a chemical splash, an inadvertent abrasion, allergies, viruses, or bacteria; whatever the cause, the appearance of the eye, and the symptoms are the same: pain, irritation, tearing, sensitivity to light, even decreased vision. The treatment of conjunctivitis is obviously based on the cause of the causative agent; if it’s bacterial, one would need topical antibiotic drops, if it’s due to a chemical splash, one needs to irrigate the eye profusely, if it’s allergic, appropriate eye-drops help tremendously, and if it’s viral, it’s usually self limited. In addition to treating the main cause, the application of warm compresses to help reduce the symptoms of conjunctivitis (especially bacterial) has been recommended by eye-care professionals for hundreds of years, and eye-press can help reduce the symptoms of conjunctivitis tremendously until the condition is resolved, which can take up to a week.
