What is the difference between pink eye and allergies

Specific blood tests or skin tests may be required to diagnose or identify the specific allergen causing your reaction. Pink eye , or conjunctivitis, refers to an irritation or infection of the conjunctiva. Allergic conjunctivitis is often confused with pink eye caused by viral infection of conjunctiva due to their similar symptoms.

Health Home Conditions and Diseases. Allergic conjunctivitis can be grouped into two types: Seasonal allergic conjunctivitis: The seasonal form is associated with seasonal allergies that usually occur during the spring and summer months, and sometimes during the fall.

Allergic Conjunctivitis Symptoms Common symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis in the eyes can include: Intense itching of eyes and urge to rub eyes. Red eyes. Watery or white, stringy mucus discharge. Swollen eyelids.

While it can affect anyone of any age, it is most common in children as well as their parents and teachers as schools often make the perfect environment for contamination and spreading of the disease. What causes pink eye? Viral conjunctivitis is the most common form of pink eye and is most commonly caused by adenovirus, a virus normally responsible for causing upper respiratory infections and sore throats.

In rarer instances, viral pink eye may be caused by:. Next to viruses, bacteria are the next leading cause of pink eye. Staphylococcus and Streptococcus are the bacteria most often implicated in conjunctivitis. These bacteria are usually associated with food poisoning and strep throat, respectively. In rare instances, bacterial pink eye has been caused by the bacteria responsible for chlamydia and gonorrhea.

The main symptom of pink eye is the reddish, pink shade in the eyes and eyelids caused by inflammation and irritation. Symptoms can also change based on the cause of the infection.

Viral pink eye may also cause swelling or tenderness in the area in front of the ears, a sign that the virus has spread to the lymph nodes in the area. You may also experience cold-like symptoms, including a runny nose, sinus congestion, and coughing. Bacterial conjunctivitis features a thicker, stickier discharge that appears yellow, gray or green in color. This discharge is thick enough to paste your eyelids together when you wake up. Bacterial pink eye also tends to come with mild pain, and the upper eyelid may appear droopy due to swelling a condition called pseudoptosis.

Bacterial pink eye can affect one or both eyes. When it comes to treating viral forms of pink eye , you generally will not require medication. If your case of viral pink eye is caused by herpes or another severe virus, your doctor may prescribe antiviral medication. Your doctor may also prescribe lubricating eye drops to soothe irritation and ease discomfort, but mainly you will require plenty of bed rest. If the infection is bacterial instead of viral, it can be quickly and easily treated using antibiotics.

Your doctor may prescribe a topical ointment or antibiotic eye drops. Antibiotics are highly effective against bacterial forms of pink eye. You should see drastic improvements in symptoms and comfort within 24 hours after first applying the antibiotic treatment. If you also experience ear ache, coughing, runny nose, and other symptoms that might suggest that the infection has spread, your doctor may prescribe oral antibiotics, which can help to eliminate the pink eye and the overall bacterial infection.

Read: Antibiotics for Pink Eye. About 8 percent of adults in America suffer from seasonal allergies , which is also known as seasonal allergic rhinitis or hay fever. Despite the name, seasonal allergies can happen all year round, though they tend to be less common in the winter. Depending on the allergen that triggers symptoms, you may experience allergies during more than one season.

The conjunctiva is the outer membrane layer that covers your eyeball and the inside of your eyelids. It comes down to the cause of that inflammation. Allergies are triggered by various irritants, like pollen or pets. To really understand the difference between pink eye and allergy symptoms—and get the right treatment—it helps to know the different types of conjunctivitis.

On top of red eyes and tearing, allergies can cause your eyes to itch and feel sore or burning. You may also have a gritty feeling in your eye, and it may swell. You might also have other classic signs of allergies, like sneezing or a runny nose.

Doctors may notice other clues. With allergic and viral conjunctivitis, eye discharge tends to be thin and whitish in color. With bacterial conjunctivitis, it is usually thicker and may be green or yellow. Viral conjunctivitis is usually caused by the adenovirus and other cold and flu viruses.

Eye allergies and conjunctivitis also cause many of the same symptoms as several other eye infections. For example, allergic conjunctivitis and pink eye can look and feel nearly identical to uveitis and keratitis. They can also mimic the symptoms of blepharitis and a blocked tear duct. If left untreated, bacterial conjunctivitis and some of the other infection types can be serious and even lead to vision loss.