EYE INFECTIONS , Symptoms, Treatment

 Facts

Many bacteria, viruses, bacteria, and fungi that can enter the body can also attack the surface or inside of the eye. Eye infections can be divided into two types.

First, the doctor usually talks about pain or inflammation in the eye. For example, conjunctivitis is inflammation of the conjunctiva, the membrane covering the eye's surface and the eyelid's inside. Other areas of inflammation include the eyelids, cornea (keratitis), fluid in the eye (vitreous), retina, and the blood vessels that supply it or the optic nerve. These are just a few examples: The look is an organ with many parts.

Secondly, eye diseases are also classified according to their causes. For example, ocular histoplasmosis syndrome (OHS) is caused by a fungus (this condition is a type of chorioretinitis). It usually attacks the blood flow to the retina, the inner part of the eye.

The most common eye infection is conjunctivitis, caused by adenovirus, the common cold virus. This type of conjunctivitis is sometimes called pink eye and is more common in children. Viral conjunctivitis is very contagious because the virus can spread from the eye to the hands and then touch the door and other places that other people use.

There are other causes of conjunctivitis, such as bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus. This disease usually occurs in children and tends to cause red eyes for long periods.

Causes of eye infection

Conjunctivitis is the most common cause of pink eye worldwide. There are many causes of conjunctivitis, often classified as viral, bacterial, or fungal.

Ocular Histoplasmosis Syndrome (OHS): Histoplasmosis is a fungal infection in the lungs caused by disease caused by inhaled spores. It occurs in rivers all over the world. It is more common in the United States than Canada and Midwestern states in the Ohio and Mississippi River basins. Nearly 90% of people living in these regions have been infected with this disease during their lifetime. Most infections cause no symptoms and resolve on their own.

In many cases, the disease enters the retina years or decades later. Once there, it can damage the retina, especially the macula (the middle part where most vision cells are concentrated). It causes symptoms similar to macular and retinal degeneration and can destroy the visual center. Although only a tiny percentage of people with histoplasmosis develop OSH, the disease is so common that OSH is the leading cause of blindness in Americans ages 20 to 40. Anyone should see a doctor if they notice any changes in their vision.

Chlamydia and gonorrhea: 

Many sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can cause conjunctivitis. The virus enters the eyes directly from the genital area, such as through semen or when the patient rubs his eyes after contact with the genital area of ​​​​the genital area. Babies born to women with genital warts are especially at risk for eye infections. Neisseria gonorrhoeae is one of several bacteria that can penetrate the eye's protective layer and cause eye infections.

Herpes simplex 

It can be a skin infection (herpes) or a sexually transmitted disease. Herpes virus can be transferred to the eye through contact with an active virus (cold sores or blisters) and subsequent contact with the look. Eye herpes can spread to the upper layers but can cause blindness and ulceration in the eye. Herpetic infection is rare and can cause retinal necrosis (ARN), especially in men. This can cause severe damage to retinal tissue and cause severe vision impairment. Herpes simplex keratitis is the leading cause of blindness worldwide.

Herpes zoster (shingles, varicella zoster): Shingles reactivate the virus that causes the common cold. Shingles is contagious and can cause colds in others. They can also cause eye irritation if you touch your eyes after touching the wound. Although herpes simplex is the most common cause of retinal necrosis in young people, varicella zoster is a common cause in people over 50 because herpes zoster is more common in this age group.

Bacterial Keratitis 

This corneal disease is caused by bacteria often found on the skin, mouth, and nose. In most cases, these bacteria cannot penetrate the eye's outer surface and only cause conjunctivitis. However, trauma to the eye, lack of oxygen in the lenses, infection from wearing lenses for too long, or physical inactivity can contribute to access to the cornea (the clear layer of the front eye). In similar cases, bacteria can cause fungal keratitis.

Infections that can cause conjunctivitis or keratitis (conjunctivitis) include:

Syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes simplex, and hepatitis B,Tuberculosis, Leprosy, Lyme infection, Acanthamoeba - a parasite, Crab lice - 

These tiny creatures can live and multiply in your eyelashes and are invisible to the naked eye. Epstein-Barr disease or worms Infectious Nucleocytosis Mumps, measles, flu or shingles< Onchocerciasis (water blindness) >Sarcoidosis - Cause of this condition unknown but can be caused by Infection Yeast infection (common name for fungal infections) - Candida, the fungus that causes thrush, is one of the fungal infections. More than 60 species of fungi that can infect the eye. Diseases that can affect the retina and the inside of the eye, such as syphilis, tuberculosis, toxoplasmosis, sarcoidosis, herpes simplex, varicella zoster (shingles and chickenpox), gonorrhea, histoplasmosis, cytomegalovirus.

Symptoms and problems

Of course, many things can be done, and the symptoms of eye disease can be different. How a person feels often depends on the location of the disease rather than the cause of the disease.

Redness and itching

Discharge

Viral conjunctivitis: Discharge is usually watery or mucous

Bacterial conjunctivitis: 

Discharge is sticky. It is thick and may be white, yellow, or white. -green

The feeling of sand in the eye

The lateral basket of the eyelid

Symptoms of keratitis and other anterior eye diseases are:

Pain, itching, or foreign body in the eye. It usually occurs suddenly

Against light sensitivity (reluctance to bright light)

Red or small red streaks appear in the whites of the eyes

Liquid yellow or green pepper may cause eye irritation when you wake up. - Infections

tearing

eye swelling

Constant blinking (blepharospasm)

vision loss

Unfortunately, diseases that damage the retina, optic nerve, or blood vessels are often unbeatable. They cause pain. The main symptom is visual impairment, which is usually preventable but irreversible. Therefore, regular eye examination is essential. A common side effect of nerve damage is floaters, which are small amounts of water in the eye. You will see tiny bubbles or black dots gradually falling from your vision. Everyone has floaters; You should only be concerned if you notice them increasing.

Almost every eye infection, even if it's just a cold, is accompanied by pain elsewhere in the body. Some, but not all, of these diseases have visible symptoms. If you have any of the conditions listed in the Information section of this article, monitor for eye pain or visual signs.

Significant complications of eye disease include retinal damage and scarring and scarring. Corneal ulcers can affect vision. Some conditions, such as syphilis, can cause glaucoma. Additionally, eye problems are often symptoms of a more severe infection. For example, chlamydia does not usually cause genital symptoms but can cause infertility and heart damage if left untreated.

Diagnosis

Ophthalmologists and optometrists are trained to identify various eye diseases in terms of the eye and retina's surface, the disease's development (even in one or two eyes), and your medical history. Various illumination devices are available for imaging the cornea and retina.

If there is pus or discharge in the eye, it can be taken to detect the disease. In most cases, you will also be tested for infections such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, and herpes simplex.

You should consult a doctor or ophthalmologist if:

eye pain, change in vision, redness of the eyes or persistent vision

br>recurrent eye problems

Eye problems and diabetes Chronic conditions such as

Changes in pupil size

Recent eye injuries For vision

You should consult a doctor or ophthalmologist if People:

You have received treatment. Your symptoms have not improved on their own within 48 hours

Your condition worsened after treatment

Your situation persisted for more than 48 hours without treatment

Treatment and prevention

Most viral conjunctivitis gets better after a few days without treatment. General antibiotics can treat most infections or keratitis, while specific antibiotics treat gonorrhea and chlamydia. Most of these diseases are treatable.

Most fungal and parasitic infections can be treated with various medications. The exception is Histoplasma, which cannot be detected in the retina even though we know it exists. The only treatment available is laser cauterization of the affected area, which can slow the destruction of the macula (center of the retina). Although this surgery sometimes causes blindness, it is performed to save existing vision. This usually needs to be repeated several times. Although new surgical techniques are being researched, there is yet to be a way to repair the damage.

Herpes simplex cannot be eliminated from the body, but an attack on the eye can usually be relieved with ointment (eye cream) or oral contraceptives. If the disease causes severe scarring or vision loss, the bone may need to be replaced. Serious infections such as tuberculosis, syphilis, and toxoplasmosis require treatment of the whole body to eliminate the eye problem.

 Unless you avoid getting infected, you can't do much to prevent a disease like histoplasmosis. (areas where fungi occur, such as swamps). They live in these areas and have a weakened immune system. It would be best to avoid activities associated with histoplasmosis, such as exploring caves, clearing or demolishing old buildings, or digging up birds or soil occupied by birds—guano. You will also find that many eye infections are problems with sexually transmitted diseases or genital infections such as syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes, herpes simplex, oral thrush, and hepatitis B. There are cold sores or blisters.

 Hand washing is essential to prevent contamination that may cause disease. Sharing towels, pillows, washcloths, and cleaning supplies should always be avoided to prevent eye infections.