Conjunctivitis is an infection of conjunctiva, a transparent membrane that lines the eyelid and covers the white part of your eyeball. When small blood vessels in the conjunctiva become inflamed, they become more prominent. This is what causes the whites of your eyes to appear reddish or pink, hence the name pink eye.

Conjunctivitis is marked by burning and itching in the eyes along with mucus or pus discharge. There is a constant urge to rub the affected eye and in some cases pain may also be present. It may be caused due to certain infectious agents such as viruses, bacteria or non-infectious causes such as dust, fumes or other allergens. Diagnosis is usually confirmed by physical examination by your doctor and treatment depends upon the infective cause of the condition. While viral conjunctivitis does not require any treatment, bacterial infection may require anti-infective agents in the form of eye drops or ointments.

You can prevent conjunctivitis by keeping your hands clean and avoid sharing personal belongings such as eyewear, eyedrops, makeup with infected individuals. Cautious use of contact lenses is also important to prevent contracting this infection. Conjunctivitis, which gets worse with each passing day, should be taken seriously and treated by an ophthalmologist as it poses a risk of complications such as uveitis and corneal perforation.