Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye)

Conjunctivitis, also known as pink eye, is considered a nuisance disease, but can result in more serious eye conditions.  The state requires these children be kept out of school during the acute stage, which lasts 24 hours after treatment has begun.  Pink eye can be either viral or bacterial and there are degrees of severity of "Pink eye".  One child may have only a mild case with very few symptoms.  He/she is still as infectious as a child who shows all the typical symptoms which are:

  1.    Tearing, at first watery, but later mucus-like or pussy looking (this may be a brief period only).

  2.    Sensitive to light.

  3.    Sensation of itching, discomfort or burning.

  4.    Discharge MAY seal the lid margins together overnight.

  5.   The white of the eye becomes quite red.

  6.   There may be swelling of the lids.

Milder types recover in a few days to a week.  The epidemic types last 2 to 4 weeks. 
This infection is very contagious.  Good handwashing is the best defense against infecting the other eye or infecting other people.  Patients should use only his/her own towels and wash cloths and stay home during the acute stage. 

Please check with your doctor concerning medication and treatment.   This usually consists of antibiotic ointment or drops.   Please alert your child's school when the diagnosis of pink eye has been made so we can be "on the look out" for this in your child's classmates.