Management of Viral conjunctivitis
Features
• Very contagious (examine with gloves)
• Usually due to adenovirus
• Tends to occur in epidemics (pink eye)
• 2–3 wk course
• Starts in one eye, spreads to other
• Scant watery discharge
• May be tiny pale lymphoid follicles
• Preauricular lymph node
Can perform viral culture and serology to predict epidemics.
Treatment
• Limit cross-infection by appropriate rules of hygiene and patient
education.
• Treatment is symptomatic (e.g. cool compress and topical
lubricants-artifi cial tear preparations) or salt-water bathing.
• Do not pad.
• Watch for secondary bacterial infection.
• Avoid corticosteroids—prolong the infection.
Features
• Very contagious (examine with gloves)
• Usually due to adenovirus
• Tends to occur in epidemics (pink eye)
• 2–3 wk course
• Starts in one eye, spreads to other
• Scant watery discharge
• May be tiny pale lymphoid follicles
• Preauricular lymph node
Can perform viral culture and serology to predict epidemics.
Treatment
• Limit cross-infection by appropriate rules of hygiene and patient
education.
• Treatment is symptomatic (e.g. cool compress and topical
lubricants-artifi cial tear preparations) or salt-water bathing.
• Do not pad.
• Watch for secondary bacterial infection.
• Avoid corticosteroids—prolong the infection.