Health news, tips and features: Healia Health Blog

March 6th, 2008

Allergy Season Can Lead to Pink Eye Infections

Health News posted 2 years ago by The Healia Team

Many adults find themselves with a pink eye infection this time of the year—as seasonal allergens fly in the air causing itchiness and the desire to rub or touch the eyes. Pink eye, also known as conjunctivitis, is an inflammation or infection of the transparent membrane (conjunctiva) that lines the eyelid and part of the eyeball. The cause of pink eye is typically a bacterial or viral infection or an allergic reaction.

According to the Mayo Clinic, pink eye may make you feel as if you've got something in one or both of your eyes that you just can't remove. The whites of the eyes may begin to have a pink discoloration, and you may not see as clearly as you did before. When you wake up in the morning, your eyes may seem to be pasted shut from discharge from your eyes.

Since pink eye can be highly contagious, it should be diagnosed and treated early. This is especially important for preschool-age children, who commonly develop both viral and bacterial conjunctivitis. For information on how to prevent pink eye, see Healia’s blog: Five Simple Tips for Preventing Pink Eye. You can also visit Healia Communities to Ask an Expert a question or to connect with others about Allergies or Eye Diseases.

pink eye conjunctivitis allergy season