How Do You Know If You Have Viral or Bacterial Conjunctivitis ?

Answers (4)

• Sally

  09/24/2013

  Viral conjunctivitis and bacterial conjunctivitis can be called pink eye. Viral conjunctivitis is caused by a virus and can be highly contagious but bacterial conjunctivitis is caused by a bacteria and it is not contagious. however, Viral conjunctivitis may go away on its own without special treatment several days or few weeks later while bacterial conjunctivitis may lead to serious damages to our eyes if we left it untreated.

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• Dawn C.

  09/24/2013

  You can distinguish viral conjunctivitis and bacterial conjunctivitis by different symptoms they may cause. Usually the people who are suffering from viral conjunctivitis may have watery, itchy eyes, sensitive to light. The other eye can be affected at the same time. Viral conjunctivitis can be spread by sneezing and coughing. But the people who are suffering from bacterial conjunctivitis may have sticky, yellow or greenish-yellow discharges in the eyes. Sometimes the discharge will stuck the eyelids together especially when the guy is waking up in the morning. Bacterial conjunctivitis can be spread by direct contact with infected hands or items.

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• Benson Dubois

  09/24/2013

  Usually the viral conjunctivitis don't need any medical treatment for several kinds of home remedies can relieve them. Viral conjunctivitis will run its course for several days or few week. but they will go away totally in the end. You can apply a cold, wet wash cloth to the eyes several times a day to relieve the symptoms. If you got bacterial conjunctivitis, your may need to see an eye doctor and ask some prescribe antibiotic eye drops or ointments to treat with your bacterial conjunctivitis. So I suggest you to see an eye doctor immediately for you don't know what kind of conjunctivitis you may get.

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• elderoo

  09/24/2013

  The bacteria such as chlamydia, staphylococci, and streptococci gonococci may lead to severe conjunctivitis. Conjunctivitis may cause severe vision problems by damaging the cornea. Gonococci are the kind of bacteria that may lead to blindness. And both viral conjunctivitis and bacterial conjunctivitis can spread from person to person. So people should avoid touching the washcloths, hands, towels, false eyelashes, cosmetics or contact lenses of the infected person. Your health care provider may prescribe antibiotic eye drops to relieve your bacterial conjunctivitis. If you are a current contact user, you may need to stop using contacts until the symptoms totally go away.

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