BACTERIAL CONJUNCTIVITIS

Course overview

CONJUNCTIVITIS, ALSO INFORMALLY KNOWN AS "PINK EYE," MAKES UP THE MAJORITY OF OPHTHALMOLOGIC DISORDERS SEEN AT PRIMARY CARE CLINICS. PATIENTS PRESENT COMPLAINING OF EYE REDNESS, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT BE ACCOMPANIED BY PAIN, ITCHING, AND DISCHARGE. DILATION OF CONJUNCTIVAL BLOOD VESSELS SECONDARY TO VIRAL OR BACTERIAL INFECTION, CHEMICAL EXPOSURES, OR ALLERGIES RESULTS IN THE REDNESS SEEN ON THE EXAMINATION. WHILE VIRAL AND ALLERGIC CONJUNCTIVITIS OCCURS MORE FREQUENTLY, BACTERIAL CONJUNCTIVITIS IS RESPONSIBLE FOR INCREASED MORBIDITY AND PROVIDES A MORE CHALLENGING CLINICAL SCENARIO FOR PHYSICIANS. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND TREATMENT OF BACTERIAL CONJUNCTIVITIS AND EXPLAINS THE ROLE OF THE HEALTHCARE TEAM IN MANAGING PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.