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Red
Eye & Conjuntival Diseases:
Conjunctivitis
is one of the most common eye diseases. Its name is descriptive,
because the condition involves inflammation of the conjunctiva -
a transparent connective tissue layer covering the white of the
eye. Any inflammatory response therefore, which naturally includes
vascular dilation and engorgement, will give the eye a red appearance.
Bacterial
Conjunctivitis:
Acute
onset of redness, grittiness, itching, swelling of lids, mucupurulent
discharge, beefy red conjunctiva and crusted eyelids stuck together
on waking. More common in children. Causative organisms are staph.
aureus, epidermidis, strep. Pneumonia.
Viral
Conjunctivitis:
Acute
onset of watery discharge, redness, discomfort and photophobia.
Bilateral in about 60% of cases, typically one eye preceding the
other by few days. More common in adults. Follicles can develop
on the undersides of the lids.
Herpes
(simplex & zoster) & Chlamydia:
conjunctivitis.
The later is the most common cause of neonatal conjunctivitis. It
is noteworthy that conjuntival reaction in neonates is papillary
& not follicular because infants cannot form follicles until
about the third month
of life.
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