Causes of Eye Infections

Your eyes are the most delicate organ of your body. As they allow light to enter the space helping you see your surroundings, a lot goes into taking care of them on a daily basis. Poor hygiene or exposure to irritants can lead to eye infections.

This can further lead to common eye problems that need to be averted at the initial source. If you are someone who frequently gets your eyes checked, always follow your doctor’s orders in case you have to go through an eye infection treatment.

But before that, let’s find out how to identify an eye infection.

How can you know if your Eye is infected?

Eye infections may present in several ways with different symptoms. Usually, common eye problems occur in the eyes, eyelids, cornea or the conjunctiva area.

You might want to get your eyes checked if you have any of the following symptoms:

• Pain in the eyes.

• Redness or burning sensation.

• Teary eyes.

• Itchiness or foreign body sensation

• Light sensitivity (photophobia).

• Miniscule lump at the surface of the eyelids causing pain.

Simultaneously, check if your eyes look more unusual than normal. An eye infection can make your eyes look:

• Redness in the sclera (white of the eye)

• Lead to unusual discharge that can be yellow or green.

• Swollen eyelids causing pain.

• Formation of crusts on the eyelids or lashes after waking up.

In case your vision starts getting blurry, visit your doctor or healthcare operator immediately to get your eyes checked for infections or other eye problems.

What Causes an Eye Infection?

Now that you have established that there is an eye infection, your doctor will help you determine the severity of your eye condition. Eye infections can be caused because of the following reasons.

• Keratitis: If you wear eye lenses often, you might get keratitis. It’s a common eye problem caused by bacteria or parasites found in water.

• Sty: If the oil glands located at the base of your eyelids get infected by bacteria, it can cause painful, red bumps, known as a stye.

• Conjunctivitis: Also known as pink eye, conjunctivitis results from  an allergic reaction. It makes the corners of your eyes look pink and is sometimes accompanied by eye swelling. It is more common in children than in adults.

• Uveitis: Affecting the uvea of the middle layer of the eye, this eye condition is usually caused by herpes, or can also be a result of certain autoimmune disorders in the body.

• Fungal eye infection: Although rare, fungal eye infections are common in case you have recently had an  eye injury.

• Cellulitis: This eye condition is also caused as a result of an eye injury. However, it can get infected by bacteria causing pain and discomfort.

• Blepharitis: If you see your eyelids turning pink, red or almost purple, you might have contracted blepharitis. Usually, eye drops or ointments help ease the pain and bring the swelling down in no time.

• Endophthalmitis: Candida fungal infections can lead to a severe case of eye inflammation from the inside of the eye region. This is known as endophthalmitis and is caused by bacteria or fungi.

Are there Other Common Eye Problems to be aware of?

There are different causes of eye pain, and once your doctor detects a problem, it is important to undergo an eye infection treatment for instant relief. However, if the treatment is prolonged or delayed, it can lead to some common eye problems that may damage or destroy one or two parts of the eyes.

As you age, eye infections can get more common. Hence, regular checkups are important to preserve the quality of your eyes. Some common eye problems that can be a result of eye infections are as follows:

• Refractive errors include myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism and presbyopia. These are common in adults between the ages of 40 to 50.

• Macular degeneration which is a result of ageing can affect central vision for most adults.

• Cataracts or the blurring of the lenses leading to blindness if not treated in time.

• Glaucoma or optic nerve damage in the eyes can lead to blindness in one or both eyes.>

• Lazy eyes, which are more common in children, are a result of eye infections hampering the synchronisation of the brain and eyes working together. This thereby  reduces vision.

How can Optica help tackle Common Eye Problems?

To ensure that eye infections are kept at bay, Optica provides the best eyewear including contact lenses for women, men and children all over Africa. We are regarded as Kenya’s most popular eyewear brand functioning since 1959.

Based on your doctor’s prescription, we can provide eyeglasses, sunglasses, computer vision glasses, and daily and monthly contact lenses for all age groups. Our products are of premium quality and have been regarded as providing 100% satisfaction to our clientele. We also provide cleaning solutions and cloths for your eyewear so that you can wear sterile and clean glasses or contact lenses to curb the instances of eye infections.

You can also book an eye test with us on the website to know if you have any eye infections or underlying eye conditions. We will offer you the best solution for your eyes to prevent any severe eye problems. After all, it’s always better to be safe than sorry!

Check out our website, call or WhatsApp us at 0709-709-000, or book an appointment for an eye test and get started today!