Bacterial and viral conjunctivitis are both highly contagious and are easily spread through groups of people, such as classrooms of children at school. If you display any warning signs of conjunctivitis, you should give us a call and make the trip in to see Dr. Kassam for an exam as soon as possible. If you are contagious, he can advise you on how to limit the spread of the condition; if not, he will help you manage your symptoms and reassure you that it’s okay to see your friends and colleagues!
There are three forms of pinkeye. While each exhibits similar symptoms, it takes a comprehensive eye exam with the proper equipment to identify from which case you are suffering.
Bacterial
Usually spread through hand-to-eye contact, this strain of the condition is very prevalent amongst groups of school children. If one child goes undiagnosed for even a short while, it spreads like wildfire among the other children. It is spread by common bacteria and occurs more often than either allergic or viral conjunctivitis.
Allergic
The only type which is not contagious, if your pink eye is caused by an environmental factor, then we will help you determine what that factor is, and you can attempt to avoid it in future. This is very common with people already suffering from seasonal allergies such as hayfever.
Viral
Carried by a variety of different viruses (such as that which transport the common cold and flu), viral conjunctivitis is highly contagious and spreads very quickly.