Health encyclopaedia

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Diagnosis of Conjunctivitis

In most cases the diagnosis of conjunctivitis is made from the symptoms, particularly swelling and redness.

However, there are other cases of red eye that are not due to conjunctivitis and that are much more serious. Pain and loss of vision should be reported urgently. Other conditions that cause redness of the eye include:

• Acute uveitis – inflammation of the iris and the focusing muscle;
• Corneal ulceration – commonly caused by the herpes simplex virus, but it may be caused by almost any germ;
• An object on the cornea or under a lid;
• A sudden rise in the pressure within the eye (acute glaucoma);
• Bleeding under the conjunctiva (sub-conjunctival haemorrhage).

Your GP or eye specialist may take a swab from your eye. This involves dabbing soft material on to the irritated area, to get a sample of the mucus and infected cells. The swab will then be tested at a laboratory, to find out the cause of the infection. It is important to find out if it is bacterial, viral, or an allergic reaction, because it affects the type of treatment you will be given.

If you have severe symptoms or they are getting worse, you may be referred to an eye specialist called an ophthalmologist.

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