Conjunctivits Flashcards
1
Q
Define conjunctivitis
A
inflammation of the lining of the eyelids and eyeball caused by bacteria, viruses, allergic or immunological reactions, mechanical irritation, or medicines
2
Q
What are the causes/risk factors of conjunctivitis?
A
- exposure to infected person
- infection in one eye
- environmental irritants
- allergen exposure
- camps, swimming pools, military bases
- Asian or Mediterranean young male
- atopy
- contact lens use
- ocular prosthesis
- mechanical irritation
3
Q
What are the signs and symptoms of conjunctivitis?
A
- watery discharge
- ropy, mucoid discharge
- purulent discharge
- itching predominant symptom
- eyelids stuck together in morning
- tender, pre-auricular lymphadenopathy
- conjunctival follicles
- superficial punctate keratopathy
- unilateral disease
- corneal subepithelial infiltrates
- corneal pannus
- vesicular skin rash
4
Q
What investigations are carried out for conjunctivitis?
A
- rapid adenovirus immunoassay - 2 visible lines equal positive
- cell culture - bacterial or viral isolation
- Gram stain - visualisation of bacterial organisms
- polymerase chain reaction - amplified viral or bacterial DNA
- ocular pH - target pH is 7
