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Conjunctivitis
is one of the most common eye diseases. Its name is
descriptive, because the condition involves inflammation
of the conjunctiva - a transparent connective tissue
layer covering the white of the eye. Any inflammatory
response therefore, which naturally includes vascular
dilation and engorgement, will give the eye a red appearance.
Bacterial
Conjunctivitis
Acute
onset of redness, grittiness, itching, swelling of lids,
mucupurulent discharge, beefy red conjunctiva and crusted
eyelids stuck together on waking. More common in children.
Causative organisms are staph. aureus, epidermidis,
strep. Pneumonia.
Viral
Conjunctivitis
Acute
onset of watery discharge, redness, discomfort and photophobia.
Bilateral in about 60% of cases, typically one eye preceding
the other by few days. More common in adults. Follicles
can develop on the undersides of the lids.
Herpes
(simplex & zoster) & Chlamydia
conjunctivitis.
The later is the most common cause of neonatal conjunctivitis.
It is noteworthy that conjuntival reaction in neonates
is papillary & not follicular because infants cannot
form follicles until about the third month
of life.
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