When I adopted a pair of twins, one of the first things that struck me was how many doctor's appointments they needed to go to. As we took them to all of their baby well-checks, I realised that these appointments were designed to find and address issues early before they caused other problems. Fortunately, our family paediatrician found a few critical problems that we were able to resolve head-on, and it was immensely helpful. Check out this blog for information about health care, preventative care, and helping your child to enjoy a better life. I know that some of these tips helped me, and I know that they can help you too.
Eye infections are more common than people think. Children and adults alike are susceptible to getting infections in their eyes, which is why it is so important to know how to detect an eye infection and how to treat it. Here are some things you need to know.
How Do You Get An Eye Infection?
One of the first steps is knowing how an eye infection is caused. Infections happen when your eye is exposed to bacteria and is unable to flush out the bacteria so that the eye becomes infected. This can happen by the improper use of contacts. For example, if you don't take your contacts out at night and sleep in them you put yourself at risk for an infection. You should also be cleaning the contacts each time you take them out and put them in. You can also get an eye infection from touching your eyes too much. Thus, if you have allergies and your eyes itch, you are likely to get an infection since you are touching your eyes with your dirty hands.
How Do I Know My Eye Is Infected?
Detecting the infection early on will be the best way to treat it. If you notice that your eyes start to itch or burn you probably have an infection. It is not normal for your eyes to itch a lot, with the exception of an allergic reaction. You will also notice that there will be a discharge from the eye and it will turn red. Conjunctivitis, or an eye infection, is often referred to as pink eye because of the color of the eye when it is infected.
What Can I Do To Treat An Eye Infection?
You will need to get a medicated eye drop to treat the infection. In most cases the infection will not go away on it's own. You will have to kill the infection with an antibiotic or else it will simply get worse and worse until it compromises the function of the eye. You should see a doctor right away if you suspect that you, or your child has an infection.
How Do You Prevent Eye Infections?
Conjunctivitis is very contagious, so the best way to avoid getting it is to stay away from others with infections, and if you have an infection, stay home until it heals. Also, washing your hands and avoiding touching your eyes will protect you from infection.
If you suspect you have an infection you should talk to an eye doctor, like one from Quality Eye Care, right away.
Share2 December 2016
