There are two basic groups of factors that cause joint inflammation. Some are infectious, which include bacteria, viruses, chlamydia, parasites and fungi. The group of non-infectious includes all factors that can irritate the eye in any way, namely allergies, toxic elements in the form of dust and smoke, reduced amount of tears or refractive disorders. All conjunctivitis have somewhat similar symptoms.
The second division divides conjunctivitis into acute, which are those that arise suddenly and last up to 4 weeks, and chronic, which last longer than that time.<\/p>\n
Infectious conjunctivitis:<\/span><\/p>\n Bacterial conjunctivitis Viral conjunctivitis Chlamydial conjunctivitis Fungal conjunctivitis Parasitic conjunctivitis Non-infectious conjunctivitis<\/span> :<\/p>\n This type of conjunctivitis is caused by a whole series of factors that irritate the eye, such as dust, smoke, dry eye, allergies, etc. All of them have in common that they are accompanied by the feeling of a foreign body in the eye, stronger or weaker redness and narrowing. The disease is unpleasant but not dangerous. Allergic conjunctivitis Refractive errors cause mild but constant symptoms of eye irritation. The most common are slight burning of the eyes and very mild redness. In a simplified way, it can be said that they arise due to eye strain, and disappear after determining the appropriate diopter and wearing glasses. <\/p>\n Disease transmission and prevention:<\/span><\/p>\n Most infectious conjunctivitis is easily transmitted by direct contact with hands or objects, usually by sharing towels. Precisely because of this way of spreading, it is common for the disease to first appear in one eye, and later affect the other. Epidemic keratoconjunctivitis should be highlighted as particularly easily transmitted, but it should be known that in most other conjunctivitis the discharge from the eye is also infectious, especially in the early stages of the disease, until the treatment has begun to produce results. The patient with conjunctivitis as well as those around him should pay close attention to personal hygiene, wash his hands more often than usual and refrain from touching his eyes with his hands. Observing these measures significantly reduces the possibility of disease transmission. Establishing a diagnosis:<\/span><\/p>\n Although the signs of inflammation of the conjunctiva are clear, it is advisable to seek the advice of an ophthalmologist specialist. Namely, along with the conjunctiva, the cornea is also affected in some cases, which significantly affects the development of the disease and requires adjustment of the treatment. A slit-lamp examination is sufficient for diagnosis. In conjunctivitis that lasts more than 3-4 weeks, in those who respond poorly to therapy, in children, as well as in suspicious cases, conjunctival smear is performed. In this test, the connectors are “wiped” with a cotton swab, which captures part of the secretion, which is then transferred to the so-called feeding areas. On them, the possible growth of the causative agent is controlled under special conditions, and thus its type is determined. At the same time, it is possible to determine which drug the microorganism is most sensitive to in order to use it in treatment. <\/p>\n Treatment:<\/span><\/p>\n Infectious conjunctivitis is treated with antibiotics in the form of drops and ointments for local application or oral administration. Antiviral preparations are used for viral diseases. It is necessary to strictly follow the doctor’s instructions and use the prescribed therapy appropriately. Otherwise, the results of the treatment will be weak or non-existent, and the harmful effects of the medicine are possible. Conjunctivitis<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hyposphagma (lat. Hyposphagma)<\/span><\/p>\n This is a completely harmless condition characterized by local redness of the conjunctiva. With a better analysis, it can be seen that it is actually a rupture of the connecting blood vessel and that the redness is caused by spilled blood. The reasons for this are manifold, starting with a sudden increase in blood pressure, exertion due to strong coughing or lifting weights, a small injury to a blood vessel, or an increased tendency to bleed as a result of some other disease or taking anti-coagulant drugs. Hyposphagma itself never causes vision loss, and if it occurs, it is very likely that the bleeding is in the eye itself. Treatment of hyposphagma is not necessary because it goes away on its own within a few days, and antibiotic drops can be used as protection. Hyposphagma and conjunctival cyst<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Pinguecula (lat. Pinguecula)<\/span><\/p>\n Pinguecula is a thickening of the conjunctiva that is sometimes located next to the cornea on its inner or outer side. The formation is whitish-yellow in color, about 2-4 mm in diameter and slightly elevated above the level of the remaining part of the joint. Histologically, it is a degeneratively changed fatty tissue. Pinguecula usually does not cause any problems and does not need to be treated. In case it increases so much that it causes the feeling of a foreign body and scratching, it can be removed surgically. The pinguecula itself is otherwise completely harmless and does not harm vision or is a basis for the development of other diseases. <\/p>\n Pinguecula<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Pterygium (lat. Pterygium)<\/span><\/p>\n A pterygium is a duplication of the conjunctiva that passes to the cornea. <\/p>\n Formation and division of pterygium:<\/span><\/p>\n We distinguish true pterygium (internal and external) and pseudopterygium: Symptoms:<\/span><\/p>\n A smaller pterygium does not cause any problems except possibly aesthetic ones. As the pterygium grows, a network of blood vessels forms around it and on it, giving the impression of redness. The cornea is more cloudy in the place where the pterygium passes over it in its superficial layer. Only rarely does pterygium cause mechanical disturbances in terms of itching or scratching. An extremely large pterygium can reach all the way to the pupil opening and interfere with vision. <\/p>\n Establishing a diagnosis:<\/span><\/p>\n The diagnosis is made in the ophthalmology clinic based on slit-lamp examination. No additional tests are required. <\/p>\n Treatment: <\/span><\/p>\n The only possible treatment is surgery. It gives excellent results, and depending on the size of the pterygium and possible recurrence, the surgery technique itself is chosen. It is important to approach the treatment while the pterygium is not large, because if it spreads to the pupil, it is possible that blurred vision will remain. The basic operative technique is a simple peeling of the pterygium from the cornea and its excision. In repeated cases, conjunctival transplantation is also used, whereby a piece of conjunctival tissue is cut from the same eye and sewn to the place of the previously removed pterygium. In this way, it is achieved that a completely healthy conjunctiva begins to grow in the place of the one that has excessively swelled towards the cornea. In order to prevent regrowth towards the cornea, cytostatics are also applied locally in certain cases. <\/p>\n Internal pterygium<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Tumors of the junction:<\/span><\/p>\n We distinguish a very large number of various benign and malignant changes of the coupling, fortunately they are relatively rare. It should be emphasized that any change that a person notices in the eye must be reported to their doctor, who will decide on the need for possible further treatment. So, as with other diseases, self-control and interest in one’s own health is of crucial importance. <\/p>\n Literature: Inflammation of the conjunctiva, conjunctivitis (lat. Conjunctivitis) Conjunctivitis is an inflammatory process of the conjunctiva characterized by dilation of blood vessels and redness, accumulation of inflammatory cells and increased secretion from the eye. Origin, distribution and symptoms of conjunctivitis There are two basic groups of factors that cause joint inflammation. Some are infectious, which include […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2671,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1738","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-diseases-and-errors-of-the-eye"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
This group of diseases is most often caused by staphylococci, streptococci, pneumococci, gonococci, hemophilus and many others. The disease begins suddenly, with redness and burning of the eye. The impression of redness is created by dilated blood vessels of the connective tissue. The color is usually lighter and more visible on the parts of the conjunctiva far from the cornea. If the redness is darker and closer to the edge of the cornea (the junction of the cornea and conjunctiva is called the limbus), then this is a very likely sign of inflammation of the cornea and\/or deeper structures of the eye. It is very difficult for a layman to distinguish between these two types of redness, but it is good to know that they exist. The entire joint becomes slightly thickened and acquires a glassy appearance. In certain places on the connector, small nodules are formed as a sign of reaction, and they can only be seen by a specialist doctor. During the duration of the inflammation, a secretion is secreted from the joint, which, depending on the type of causative agent and the severity of the involvement, can be slimy and colorless to thick and yellowish. It is especially noticeable in the morning after waking up, when the eyes are blinded due to it and difficult to open. During the day, the dried secretion can also be found on the eyelashes. In severe cases caused by some bacteria, whitish membranes form on the junction, which when removed cause slight bleeding. <\/p>\n
The most common viruses that cause conjunctivitis are herpes and adenoviruses. Herpes simplex and herpes zoster viruses belong to the group of herpes viruses, and they often affect the skin and cornea. Redness, burning and watery discharge are present. Adenoviruses are particularly infectious and easily transmitted and also affect the cornea. The disease they cause is called epidemic keratoconjunctivitis or keratoconjunctivitis epidemica (lat. Keratoconjunctivitis epidemica). The name itself tells us that they occur in epidemics, i.e. that they affect a large number of people in a short period of time. The symptoms are typical for all viral conjunctivitis, except that when the cornea is affected, we also have impaired vision. The disease lasts several weeks, and hygiene is of particular importance. <\/p>\n
The causative agent of chlamydia trachomatis is typical for warmer climates and can be found in swimming pools and other public swimming pools. The disease develops over several days and is characterized by a thicker secretion that blinds the eyelashes and strong redness. Sometimes the cornea is also affected, which makes the disease more severe. <\/p>\n
Several types of fungi can be transferred by hand or other means to the conjunctiva of the eye where it then forms. A healthy joint has defensive abilities that under normal conditions do not allow this, but with a large number of pathogens and\/or a weakened body’s resistance, this still happens. Symptoms develop relatively slowly and do not differ significantly from those of other types of conjunctivitis. <\/p>\n
They are very rare in Croatia, and are more common in countries with lower hygiene standards and warm climates. Only conjunctivitis caused by caterpillar hairs should be mentioned here. This is a very dangerous disease with often tragic consequences for the eye because it is not possible to remove tiny and invisible hairs. These hairs cause such a violent inflammatory reaction that the tissue practically disintegrates, so they enter deeper and deeper into the eye, which is why there is a great risk of vision loss. <\/p>\n
Conjunctivitis caused by dust or smoke occurs during or immediately after staying in such spaces and passes quickly. With allergies, the situation is a little different, so for them, the seasonal occurrence of the disease is typical, that is, when there are the most allergens in the air due to the flowering of plants. <\/p>\n
Allergic conjunctivitis is usually accompanied by nasal discharge. In some types of conjunctivitis, there are small thickenings on the conjunctiva that are the result of an allergic reaction. <\/p>\n
Of course, non-infectious conjunctivitis are not transmitted from person to person, but occur in the previously mentioned conditions. Nevertheless, hygiene is also very important here. <\/p>\n
Non-infectious conjunctivitis usually do not require more serious treatment, but drops and ointments that remove the symptoms are sufficient. Allergies are treated with anti-allergic drugs, and modern medicine also offers eye drops that are used before the onset of the allergy season so that the disease does not occur in the first place.
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Internal pterygium (lat. Pterygium internum)
It most often occurs on the inside in middle and old age, but it can also occur in younger people. The exact cause of its occurrence is not known. Gradually, there is a thickening of the conjunctiva, which increasingly crosses the cornea.
The external pterygium (lat. Pterygium externum) similar to the internal pterygium, arises from the outside and is then called the external pterygium.
Pseudopterygium
This change resembles a true pterygium in that the conjunctiva moves to the cornea, but this can occur from all directions. The cause of this conjunctival swelling is most often an eye injury, and sometimes it remains undetected. <\/p>\n![](\"http:\/\/staging.livision-optika.com\/edukativni-centar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/750337205762737.jpg\")
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M.Sc. sc. Pavan Dr. Jo\u0161ko, “Eye Diseases”, Zagreb 2003. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"