With the first few weeks of school and nursery come the first signs of infection: colds, coughs and, very often, conjunctivitis. This is an inflammation of the conjunctiva, the thin membrane that lines the white of the eye and the inside of the eyelids. It is usually mild, but some forms are highly contagious and it is important to be able to recognise them.<\/p>\n
Three types, three presentations<\/strong><\/p>\n Only a doctor can confirm which type it is and whether treatment is needed.<\/p>\n How to prevent the spread of infection at home<\/strong><\/p>\n Returning to school depends on the type of conjunctivitis, your paediatrician\u2019s advice and the rules at each school.<\/p>\n When to seek immediate medical advice<\/strong><\/p>\n Most cases of conjunctivitis are not serious, but you should consult your doctor as soon as possible if there is severe pain, significant sensitivity to light, or blurred vision that does not improve when blinking; if the affected person is a baby under one month old; if you wear contact lenses; or if the eye has been struck or has a foreign body in it. If the symptoms are severe and you cannot contact your doctor, go to the A&E department at your nearest hospital.<\/p>\n You should also avoid using leftover eye drops from a previous treatment, particularly those containing corticosteroids: in some infections, these can make the condition worse.<\/p>\n If the conjunctivitis recurs or does not improve within the expected timeframe, we can assess you at INOF or the Teknon Medical Centre.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" With the first few weeks of school and nursery come the first signs of infection: colds, coughs and, very often, conjunctivitis. This is an inflammation of the conjunctiva, the thin membrane that lines the white of the eye and the inside of the eyelids. It is usually mild, but some forms are highly contagious and…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":6257,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_joinchat":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[394,147],"tags":[],"post_series":[],"class_list":["post-6259","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-ocular-pathology-en","entry","has-media"],"yoast_head":"\n\n
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