Conjunctivitis Flashcards
Conjunctivitis Description
Most common cause of a red, painful eye in the United States
Conjunctivitis Bacterial Causes
Gram-positive Staphylococcus and Streptococcus species and the gram-negative Moraxella and Haemophilus species
Conjunctivitis Viral Causes
the adenovirus causes the majority of conjunctivitis cases in adults. Herpes simplex or zoster
Conjunctivitis Other causes
Allergic conjunctivitis: seasonal, vernal, atopic
Mechanical or chemical irritants
Conjunctivitis Diagnostic Criteria
Hallmark: red or pink eye
Itching or burning sensation of eyes
Ocular discharge (“leaky eye”)
Viral: profuse watery
Bacterial: sticky purulent
Allergic: itchy, clear drainage
Eyelids stuck together in the morning
Sensation that a foreign body is lodged in the eye; fullness around the eye
Etiology must be determined, as treatment is different for bacterial, viral, and allergic conjunctivitis.
Conjunctivitis Antibiotic Treatment
Can shorten course of the disease, which reduces person-to-person spread, and lowers the risk of sight-threatening complications.
Conjunctivitis First line antibiotic treatment
5-7 days of erythromycin ointment or bacitracin–polymyxin B ointment
Conjunctivitis Second line therapy antibiotic treatment
Fluoroquinolones
Conjunctivitis Aminoglycosides Treatment of conjunctivitis
good gram-negative coverage but incomplete coverage of Streptococcus and Staphylococcus and relatively high incidence of corneal toxicity
Conjunctivitis fluoroquinolones treatment
have good gram-negative coverage; the older fluoroquinolones (ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, and ofloxacin) have poor coverage of Streptococcus species, while the newer fluoroquinolones (besifloxacin, gatifloxacin, levofloxacin, and moxifloxacin) offer improved gram-positive coverage.
Other-Drug Therapy for Conjunctivitis
Antibiotics
Antihistamines
Mast cell stabilizers
Antihistamine/mast cell stabilizer
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory ophthalmic drugs
Vasoconstrictors (decongestants)
Topical corticosteroids
