Your eyes have been itchy for a while now. It’s even starting to look pink, so you’re wondering if this means you have an eye infection. Only your doctor can confirm it, but some signs and symptoms can give you an idea. Watching out for signs will help you decide when it’s the right time to seek medical attention.

Signs of an Eye Infection

The symptoms of an eye infection may occur in one or both of your eyes. The signs and symptoms you should watch for include:
 

• Pain

• Redness

• Dryness

• Itchiness

• Burning feeling in the eyes

• Swelling

• Discharge

• Feeling like something is in or on the eye

• Irritation

• Tender eyelid

• Tears won’t stop

• Light sensitivity

• Small, painful lump at the base of the eyelashes or under the eyelid

If you have most or all of these symptoms, there’s a high chance you have an eye infection. Eye infections happen when a harmful organism gets into the eye. Pain, discomfort, and tearing or watering eyes are the most common symptoms. You will also usually have a creamy or white discharge from the eyes.

Treating it at home is usually enough if there are no other symptoms. But it’s best to see a doctor if it’s a more severe infection where your whole eye area is affected. You should have it evaluated by a doctor, especially if the signs of infection don’t seem to get better or they’re already affecting your vision.

Eye infections could be viral or bacterial, but they can also come from another source. They could come from something that irritated your eye, like a chemical that got into it. Infections can also happen when your cornea accidentally gets scratched or the eye sustains a minor injury.

If infections are not treated immediately, they can quickly damage the eyes and may even lead to vision problems. While you can treat minor infections with home remedies, seeing a doctor is still safer. Your doctor can find out the cause of the infection and administer the proper treatment.

Types of Eye Infections

The most common type of eye infection is conjunctivitis or pink eye. Additionally, there are also:
 

• Stye

• Keratitis

• Uveitis

• Acanthamoeba keratitis

• Ocular herpes

• Blepharitis

• Cellulitis

• Chlamydia trachomatis

• Endophthalmitis

• Corneal ulcers

• Dacryostenosis

• Orbital cellulitis

Treatment for Eye Infections

Treating a bacterial eye infection differs from that of a viral eye infection. Viral infections usually clear up on their own, but antiviral eye drops can help. As for bacterial infections, remedies include antibiotic eye drops, ointments, eye gels, and compresses. A saline rinse also helps by cleansing the eye of any irritants.

A tetanus shot is recommended if your eye is injured, scratched, burned, or punctured. People who wear contact lenses often have severe eye infections. If you wear contacts and have an eye infection, you should wear your glasses not to aggravate the affected eye.

If you suspect an eye infection, quickly meet with your eye doctor. Diagnosing it yourself is not ideal, lest you treat it wrong.

Find out if you have an eye infection by scheduling a consultation with Albright Eyecare. Call us at (830) 271-4900 or visit our New Braunfels, Texas, clinic.