Eye infections may be caused by viruses, fungi or bacteria and manifest themselves through various symptoms in either eye.

Redness, itching or a gritty feeling in the eyes are common symptoms of eye infection. Depending on its type, a sticky, watery or thick purulent discharge may also appear.

Conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis, commonly referred to as pink eye, is usually caused by either a viral or bacterial infection of the clear covering (conjunctiva) that covers and lines the white of both eyes, as well as their lids. Redness and soreness are characteristic symptoms. Both eyes usually become affected at once though one might appear first. Blood vessels in the white of both eyes enlarge, making the eye puffy; blood vessels around it also dilate, leading to puffy eyelids; there may even be sticky watery discharge upon waking; some types of allergic conjunctivitis can also produce this kind of discharge.

Doctors can usually identify viral and bacterial conjunctivitis through history, symptoms and physical examination of the eye and surrounding area. Although smear or culture tests can be used to confirm an infection as bacterial, this step is rarely required; when bacteria do invade an eye it often responds quickly to antibiotic drops or ointments and is generally gone within 24 hours or sooner. Viral conjunctivitis often lasts longer and often accompany low grade upper respiratory infections resembling common cold symptoms; thus treatment of symptoms may require decongestant eye drops or mild cold medicines along with more frequent examination of symptoms may help while the viral conjunctivitis runs its course.

Non-allergic conjunctivitis is less frequent and can be caused by chemicals splashed into the eye or foreign bodies, or physical problems such as dry eyes, eye strain or poor contact lens fit. It doesn’t usually cause itching or discharge and should go away within 24-48 hours; ignoring non-allergic conjunctivitis in children could result in corneal abrasion or cellulitis (which could potentially result in blindness), thus it must be treated quickly in order to avoid blindness from occurring!

Acanthamoeba Keratitis

Acanthamoeba corneal infection is an extremely rare but serious eye infection caused by an amoeba called Acanthamoeba that thrives in water sources like lakes, rivers and reservoirs. Transmission usually takes place via drinking contaminated water but may also spread via contact lens wearers who use tap water for cleaning/storing their contacts or swim or shower while wearing them, with higher prevalence among individuals with poor contact lens hygiene or history of eye trauma.

Symptoms of Keratitis may include a foreign body sensation, red eyes that do not clear up with drops, tearing, light sensitivity and blurred vision. Unfortunately, diagnosing it can take an incubation period that differs. Pink eye or other forms of bacterial keratitis are sometimes difficult to differentiate. A corneal scrape or biopsy is available to confirm a diagnosis as are confocal microscopy and polymerase chain reaction testing methods.

Acanthamoeba can be found everywhere from soil and dust, freshwater lakes and rivers, hot tubs and swimming pools as well as heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems to heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems and contact lens solutions and tools used for cleaning or storing contacts. Furthermore, Acanthamoeba has also been found in contact lens solutions as well as tools used to store or clean contact lenses. Accanthamoeba can enter eyes by attaching itself to corneal epithelium then binding mannose glycoproteins which then release enzymes to degrade corneal epithelium while invasion into corneal stroma.

Clinicians should consider Acanthamoeba Keratitis when patients present with red, painful eyes that have been irritated for an unusually long time after taking out their contacts. Patients should avoid using tap water to clean or store their contacts; swimming, showering or washing their face while wearing them could aggravate symptoms further; if symptoms persist they should seek an ophthalmologist immediately as early diagnosis and accurate treatment can reduce complications like dacryoadenitis, secondary glaucoma or cataract; treatment typically includes antimicrobial eye drops like Biguanide or aromatic diadine for several months with early detection and treatment; potentially curing diseases with medications if diagnosed and treated early enough.

Trachoma

Trachoma, caused by the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis, causes inflammation to the eyelid tissue linings and discharge of mucus or pus from the eyes. Early symptoms typically develop slowly within 5-12 days after being exposed to the infection; children are particularly prone to this illness and more vulnerable than adults to infection; it spreads via close personal contact or sharing items like towels and washcloths between people as well as fly breeding in human and animal feces in dry, arid regions – it remains one of the world’s leading preventable causes of blindness globally.

Ethiopia, India, Nigeria and Sudan account for about half of all cases worldwide; more than half of children aged under 10 infected live there; infection is most prevalent in rural villages and poorer families. Repeated infections scar the lining of eyelids and can result in trichiasis – wherein eyelashes curl back on themselves to scratch cornea. If left untreated this condition leads to further scarring leading eventually to vision loss or blindness.

If a person has been diagnosed with trachoma, antibiotics typically eradicate their infection. Treatment options include azithromycin, doxycycline or tetracycline taken orally or topically; additionally doctors often prescribe these antibiotics in neighborhoods to control disease spread; they encourage regular hand and face washing as well as not sharing items like towels with others and limiting places where flies breed.

Surgery may be required in advanced trachoma cases to restore normal eyelid function and stop further corneal damage. Eyelid rotation surgery entails returning the lining of the eyelid to its proper place and clearing away obstructions that block light from reaching the cornea, as well as helping prevent corneal ulcers and scars from forming. When performed early enough in disease development, this form of intervention can provide highly effective relief and dramatically enhance quality of life for sufferers.

Orbital Cellulitis

Orbital cellulitis, also known as orbital inflammation, occurs when tissue of the orbit (the space surrounding the eye) become inflamed from infection spreading via blood from paranasal sinuses; but can also result from minor eye, face or lacrimal sac infections spreading elsewhere into orbital tissue. It is a potentially life-threatening condition as infection could easily reach brain tissue.

Orbicular cellulitis is a medical emergency and patients must be immediately admitted to hospital for treatment. Patients may experience pain, eyelid and face swelling, vision loss and fever – all symptoms which indicate the need for prompt intervention from healthcare providers in order to avoid possible complications such as proptosis, exposure keratopathy, cavernous sinus thrombosis, intracranial abscess formation and even meningitis or osteomyelitis which could have severe implications if left untreated quickly and correctly.

Eyelid symptoms often include swelling, redness of the face, pain, redness of the eyelid, headache, vomiting and fever. Sometimes an orbital septum infection will form an abscess requiring IV antibiotics for treatment as well as close monitoring by both ophthalmology and otolaryngology specialists since surgery may be needed to drain it and relieve pressure off their eye.

Cellulitis of the orbit can be distinguished from subperiosteal abscesses by distinguishing their symptoms. Patients suffering from subperiosteal abscesses are more prone to visual loss through direct optic nerve compression; as soon as this diagnosis has been made, they must be admitted to hospital immediately for IV antibiotic therapy (4) and taken seriously (6). It is also essential that any person experiencing cellulitis does not present with proptosis, pain with eye movement or changes in visual acuity as this indicates cellulitis’ presence requiring immediate medical treatment (4) and requires prompt medical treatment (4,6)

Antibiotics for orbital and periorbital cellulitis include erythromycin and combinations of ceftriaxone and vancomycin; metronidazole should also be added as needed to cover anaerobes. A recent study demonstrated that adding corticosteroids reduced hospitalization time significantly while improving clinical outcome (4,5). For patients who lack immunity, fungal infections may lead to life-threatening infections like mucormycosis or aspergillosis that result in life-threatening orbital cellulitis; such infections tend to occur more often in diabetic ketoacidosis as well as those suffering severe neutropenia (4.5).