Conjunctivitis is a medical condition marked by the characteristic redness and watering of the eyes, and in some cases by the production of excess mucus within the eye. It can be caused by numerous factors, including bacterial infections and allergic reactions. While more commonly diagnosed in children, elderly and those with a weakened immune system (usually due to immunosuppressant use) conjunctivitis can affect anyone, regardless of the age, gender or any other similar variable. While this condition is not serious in itself, it should still be treated as soon as possible in order to avoid further complications in those cases where conjunctivitis is caused by a bacterial or viral infection.
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Conjunctivitis and allergies
Allergic reaction is probably the most common cause of conjunctivitis. In this scenario, the allergic reaction marked by the release of certain naturally occurring compounds in response to the presence of a perceived irritant. These defensive chemical can begin accumulating in the blood vessels within the eye, provided that this is the point of contact between the body and the allergen, where they can cause inflammation. Allergic conjunctivitis can be easily treated with antihistamines, just as most other symptoms of an allergic reaction.
Conjunctivitis as a bacterial infection symptom
Conjunctivitis caused by a bacterial infection can be surprisingly similar to the example of an allergic reaction, with blood vessels within the part of the eye known as conjunctiva widening due to inflammation, causing the characteristic and noticeable symptoms such as redness of the eye and excessive wateriness. Conjunctivitis caused by an infection occurs when the eye is exposed to the harmful bacteria and as such, it can be successfully treated by an antibiotic that can be applied directly to the eye. Of course, this makes antibiotics available in the form of eye drops and ointments the preferred treatment for this kind of conjunctivitis, with Minims, Chloramphenicol and Fucithalmic being among the most commonly prescribed within the UK.
How can antibiotics help with conjunctivitis?
The medications mentioned above all share a rather similar mechanism of action. They act by preventing the bacteria present within the eye from multiplying and, hence, preventing the infection from spreading. At the root of this approach are their active ingredients which act by inhibiting the biochemical processes crucial to the growth of bacteria. More specifically, they prevent the bacteria from generating a self-sustaining protein that is of vital importance for their sustenance and multiplication.
The weakened and contained bacteria will then become an easy target for the body’s immune system which can then clear infection and thus eliminate the uncomfortable symptoms. For a majority of cases, just 48 hours will be enough to notice improvement. However, if more than 48 hours have passed since the beginning of the treatment, you should immediately contact your doctor and ask him about what should you do next.
Can I buy conjunctivitis treatment online in the UK?
Yes, it is possible to buy conjunctivitis treatment online in the UK. Of course, the exact nature of your treatment will depend on whether you are affected by allergic conjunctivitis, or if a bacterial infection is at the root of your problems. Regardless of that, both antibiotics and antihistamines can be bought in the UK only with a valid prescription issued by a certified medical professional.
It is still highly recommended to visit your doctor in person if you notice any symptoms of conjunctivitis, so he can help you determine the exact cause and set out a treatment plan accordingly. If you have already done this and simply wish to renew your prescription, you can do this easily through any of a number of online clinics operating within the UK. You will still be required to fill in a customised medical questionnaire that will help the doctor determine your suitability for any given conjunctivitis treatment. And if everything checks out, a prescription will be issued and used that very same instant to order the medicine from the partner pharmacy and have it delivered to the address you provided.
What types of conjunctivitis treatment are there?
Just like conjunctivitis can be caused by a number of different factors, there are numerous vastly different conjunctivitis treatments, aiming to treat different root causes of the condition. As mentioned, the choice of any one of them will be made by the doctor after he precisely diagnoses the causes of your conjunctivitis. Following this, he will have to carefully consider your medical profile and history so he could determine which of the available treatments is most suitable for you.
When it comes to allergic conjunctivitis caused by exposure to numerous airborne allergens such as pollen or dust, antihistamines will be the most commonly prescribed treatments. Most of them are rather similar in terms of mechanism of action and potential side effects with different concentrations of active ingredients being the main differences. Due to this, susceptibility to side effect will likely play a key role in doctor’s considerations.
Bacterially-induced conjunctivitis, on the other hand, can be successfully treated by an antibiotic in the form of an ointment or eye drops as this will be the most effective way to reliably and quickly treat the infection and provide relief from conjunctivitis symptoms. Most commonly prescribed antibiotics for the treatment of this type of conjunctivitis include Fucithalmic, Minims and Chloramphenicol.
Conjunctivitis treatment side effects
While both antibiotics and antihistamines have been known to be able to cause a number of various side effects, most conjunctivitis medications are surprisingly safe. This is so because they are topical and localised, meaning that their activity is, for most part, limited to the eyes. Because of this, it comes as no surprise that most of the commonly documented side effects of conjunctivitis treatments of various types include slight and short-term blurriness of vision immediately following application and mild irritation of the eye or the eyelid.
