Conjunctivitis care: Tips to take care of eyes for quick recovery from eye flu
From warm compresses to avoiding eye makeup, here are tips to make rapid recovery from conjunctivitis.
Amid conjunctivitis outbreak across the country, it's imperative to take care of your eye health. Despite all the precautionary measures, it's quite possible to get this highly contagious infection. Conjunctivitis can cause discomfort in your eyes blurring the vision, making them red, itchy and sticky. It's advised to take good care of your eyes while recovering from the infection.
Conjunctivitis is commonly known as eye flu or pink eye and affects the outer membrane of the eye. It is caused by viruses, bacteria, or allergens, resulting in symptoms like redness, itching, discharge, and sensitivity to light. One should take utmost care of eye hygiene during the course of the disease and follow doctor's prescription. Keeping your towels, bedsheets and other clothes clean is important. One should also avoid eye makeup during eye flu. Warm compresses, lubricating eye drops, nutritious food with high doses of vitamins and minerals are pertinent to restore eye health. (Also read: Conjunctivitis alert: Can you get eye flu by looking into someone's eyes? Know how it spreads, precautions)
Dr Ajay Sharma, Chief Medical Director of EyeQ shares some recovery tips with HT Digital
1. Do not rub your eyes
Your eyes can become really sensitive while battling with eye flu. Rubbing them can cause further irritation and worsen the disease. Besides it can also spread infection to others. To avoid this, wash your hands frequently with soap and water.
2. Gentle warm compresses
Wash your eyes with clean water and wipe them with soft, and clean materials, using gentle warm compresses to ease pain and inflammation.
3. Follow treatment tips
Adhere to doctor’s instructions for any eye drops or ointments that have been prescribed to treat the infection. Completing the full course of treatment, even if feeling better, is crucial to ensure complete healing.
4. Avoid eye makeup
During the recovery period, avoiding eye makeup and maintaining personal hygiene by regularly changing pillowcases, towels, and washcloths are vital to prevent reinfection.
"Additionally, refraining from sharing personal items like eye drops, cosmetics, and contact lenses helps minimize the risk of spreading the virus. If symptoms persist or worsen, seeking further evaluation and treatment from a healthcare provider is advisable. Prioritizing eye health not only expedites the recovery process but also protects others from potential infection," adds Dr Sharma.
