Bacterial Conjunctivitis: Diagnosis and Treatment

Bacterial Conjunctivitis: Diagnosis and Treatment

Introduction

Conjunctivitis is infection on eyes due to inflammation of the conjunctive, characterized by discharge, tearing, foreign body sensation, itching, and irritation. Acute conjunctivitis can have numerous etiologies, including infectious, both bacterial and viral, and noninfectious, such as allergies or toxins. Typical signs of acute infectious conjunctivitis include conjunctival hyperemia and mucopurulent discharge causing foreign body sensation, tearing, and matting of the eyelids. Other less commons signs include subconjunctival hemorrhage, palpebral papillary reaction, and chemosis. Bacterial conjunctivitis is generally differentiated through presence of white-yellow mucopurulent discharge. Bacterial conjunctivitis, unlike viral conjunctivitis, is unilateral, and generally occurs in single eye and then spreads to the other (Hovding, 2008).

Differentiating symptoms of Bacterial and Viral Conjunctivitis

Viral conjunctivitis has a lighter discharge than in Bacterial conjunctivitis, and former is characterized by too much watering, while later is characterized by heavy discharge.

Patient with Bacterial pink eye find it hard to open the eye in the morning due to crust formation during night. Viral conjunctivitis affected eye is often bit sticky when patient awakens, but patient can easily open his/her eye.

Other characteristics of viral conjunctivitis are that it is linked with cold and other symptoms include sinus congestion and runny nose.

Bacterial conjunctivitis does not include Tender Lymph, which is associated with viral conjunctivitis.

Bacterial conjunctivitis does not always require treatment, and it is reported to be cleared without treatment in 65% of cases. Viral conjunctivitis may remain for longer time, depending on effectiveness of treatment and hygiene habits (Hovding, 2008).

Patient Personal History

The patient is named RK. She has a mother aged 49 diagnosed with Breast Cancer, a father who is diagnosed with Hypertension; sisters; a late brother; a son aged 6 years; and a daughter aged 8 years. She is a single parent, and was never married. She is struggling to fulfill financial requirements, but has a supporting family. She has found a new boyfriend, who has abused her in multiple occasions. She wants to become a teacher and love spending free time with children. She does not drink, or smoke; however, she does smoke marihuana once a week. She attends church regularly. She had two normal deliveries with no difficulty. She sits infrequently and feels ache on legs after work, she likes to stay busy. She is feeling stress of relationship, and admits that stress is problem at home. She also worries about her children safety because her neighborhood is not safe. She regrets early pregnancies, but adores her children.

Current Medications: OCPs (Oral Contraceptive Pills)

Medical Diagnosis

Observed Problem: Red Eye;

HPI: gradual onset of L red eye x 2 days;

Description:

RK observed redness in her Left eye, while applying make-up. Next day when she woke up, she was not able to open her left eye due to yellowish drainage. She wears contact lenses; her left eye feels rough and wants to wipe it frequently.

She has denied head or eye trauma, eye pain, photophobia, visual disturbances, using Visine, headaches, ear pain/drainage, rhinitis, throat pain, dysphagia, lymph node enlargement, palpitations, dysuria, ...