VSP Blog

Jill N. is a member the VSP Global Public Relations team and mommy to an infected, yet happy, baby AJ.

 Me: “Ummm, what did you say?”
Nurse practitioner (as she peers into AJ’s eyes): “Conjunctivitis. He’s got pink eye. What is his interaction with other children? Is he in day care?”
Me (feeling like I just won the “Worst Mother of the Year” award): “No. He’s either home with my husband or with his grandparents. I assumed it was just allergies. How could he have gotten pink eye? I thought you only got it from other kids?”
Nurse practitioner: “Well, since he also has an ear infection, and the eyes, ears and nose are all connected, it probably is from the same bacteria. We’ll give him some antibiotic drops for the eyes and an oral antibiotic as well.”

So off we went to the pharmacy to stock up on medicine. I’m not sure about you, but my initial thought (after feeling like I totally let my child down) was more practical: How on earth am I supposed to get drops into a 10-month-old’s eyes, especially when she said it would probably burn for about a minute afterwards? And let me tell you, it has been as hard as I anticipated. Who knew that it would require two adults to hold down 17-pound baby?

To get some more insight into conjunctivitis, more commonly known as pink eye, I reached out to Dr. Kirschbaum, AJ’s VSP optometrist. Here is what I learned:

What causes Pink Eye?
Bacteria, viruses or allergies are all causes of pink eye—it’s the most common eye infection in the country. It’s an infection of the conjunctiva, which is the clear membrane that coats under your eyelids and the whites of your eyes. It can affect one or both eyes, and symptoms range from redness and itching to burning and even pain.

I thought it was just allergies. What should have tipped me off?
Many people experience allergies, which can settle in the eye causing redness, burning and itching. These are very common symptoms to pink eye as well. The biggest difference is a discharge from the eye that causes eyelash matting in the mornings. Also look for a thick, yellow or green discharge coming from the eye during the day. Because allergic pink eye can cause itching, your child rubbing his eyes more often can also be a sign. To be safe, if you have any of these symptoms, it is best to see your eye doctor, as treatments can be provided for both.

AJ has a bacterial form. What is the difference?
Bacterial is the most common type and passes from one person to another very easily. Symptoms include redness, itching and sticky eyes that form at night and crust over to keep your eyelids stuck together by morning. Antibiotic drops are the treatment.

Any number of viruses can cause viral pink eye.  Redness and itching are typical symptoms, along with watery, clear discharge from the eye. Like the bacterial type, it is contagious, but don’t bother with antibiotics. As with all viruses, antibiotics are useless.

Allergic pink eye can include anything from dust and pollen to chemicals like cleaners, perfumes and industrial pollutants. When these irritate the delicate conjunctiva, the eyes usually get red and swollen. Watering and itching can be severe.

Can pink eye cause vision loss?
Most types of pink eye are not threatening to eyesight, especially when treated in a timely manner. But persistent conjunctivitis can signal a potentially serious underlying disease that often only your eye doctor can diagnose. Left untreated, certain types of bacterial conjunctivitis can scar the eye’s surface, which can lead to permanent eye damage and vision loss.

Any tips for putting those drops in?
I recommend having at least two people, if possible. Sometimes it really helps to have another person acting as a distraction, or helping to hold the baby gently but firmly to minimize movement. Some parents find it easiest to put drops in baby’s eyes when they are closed. Simply pull down the corner of each eye and put in the recommended number of drops. The drops should dissolve and affect the entire eye. Aim to put the drops in the inside corner of the eye. You can even try to do this when your baby is sleeping, and he may never even know you gave him medication.

The tip does work, for the most part. But my husband and I still need to pull out our WWE wrestling holds at times.  After the first round of drops, he showed immediate improvement! So my lesson learned? Call your eye doctor the minute you notice a change in his eyes. It will help you feel less likely to receive the “Worst Mom” award, at least in that category. Learn more on The Center at vsp.com.