How Do You Get Pink Eye

Red puffy, itchy watery eyes are usually associated with pink eyes, but how do you get pink eye? Pink eye or conjunctivitis occurs due to inflammation affecting the outer most layers of your eyes as well as the inner surface of the eyelids.

This condition occurs in some cases due to infection, allergic reaction, bacteria, viral infection and environmental impact. You might get pink eye by direct contact as well as indirect contact. If you have pink eye and touch the infected eye discharge and you do not wash your hands afterward and touches someone. They in turn will contact pink eye. The indirect contact happens when you touch a surface after touching the infected eyes, and someone touches the surface. If that person places their hands in their eyes, they will contact pink eye.

You can get pink eye if you have bacterial infection, which often affects both eyes. The symptoms you will notice when you have bacterial infection includes heavy green, or yellow discharge, itching and sometimes crusty eyelids.   

Pink eye caused by viral infection often affects one eye, and cause excess watering, clear discharge from the eyes along with crusting.  

You may get pink eye due to allergic conjunctivitis affecting both eyes. This condition occurs due to allergic reaction. This form of allergic reaction happened due to grass, pollen, ragweed, animal dander as well as dust mite. This form of pink eye also cause itching, eye inflammation, watering, sneezing, along with watery nasal discharge, and is common during the spring.

Environment factors may cause pink eye because this condition occur due to smoke fumes, chlorine, soaps, some chemicals and pollutants. This form of pink eye last only 24 hours and during that time you will notice redness of the eyes, mucus discharge and irritation. Blocked tear duct that affects newborn babies often leads to pink eye for neonatal babies.

As you can see there are numerous ways to get pink eye. If you have any of these symptoms see your doctor if you have any concerns.