When it comes to common infectious eye diseases, pink eye comes to mind. However, it is also easy to mistake something else for pink eye. Pink eye, also known as conjunctivitis, has some unique characteristics. The leading of these symptoms, which is redness of the eyes, is one that various eye diseases share. The ideal solution is to go for an eye checkup. In the meantime, check out this guide to differentiate between pink eye and other eye problems.
2: Getting An Accurate Diagnosis Of Your Eye Problems:
It is common for many people to experience eye redness and itchiness and go for over-the-counter eye drops. While this may be a considerate move if the problem definitely occurs due to exposure to dust or too much screen time, the best move is an expert diagnosis!
What is commonly misdiagnosed as pink eye? There are a number of eye problems that appear as pink eye, or even vice versa. As a result, people end up taking the wrong medicine—topical or oral. Or they may address the problem in an incomplete way due to the misdiagnosis. Needless to say, such measures may prolong the problem and even slow down recovery.
Therefore, inspect your eye condition to differentiate between pink eye and other common conditions. Study the symptoms, the whole range of these you’re experiencing. Signs such as redness in the sclera (the white part), discomfort, and itchiness are prevalent in nearly all eye diseases.
The key to avoiding mistaking another problem a pink eye is to not stop at these symptoms. Study what other problems you are facing. These may not be just related to the eye but also those that are nasal or
concerning the skin.
3: Symptoms & Causes Of Pink Eye:
Before you get your answer to what is commonly misdiagnosed as pink eye, understand the basics of pink eye itself. Pink eye is a type of conjunctivitis. While conjunctivitis is a term interchangeable for pink eye, know that there are other types of conjunctivitis. Furthermore, these call for a different course of treatment.
- Moving on, you do get pink eye, these are the leading symptoms:
- Redness, that gets more intense as the problem progresses
- Itchiness and discomfort in the eye
- Gritty feeling and crusty buildup overnight
- Watery and mucosal discharge
You can have pink eye in just one eye or both. You can get this disease through a bacterial infection or a viral one. The key difference between viral and bacterial pink eye is:
- Viral pink eye results in mild yellowy-green discharge that is sticky. This is usually accompanied
by a sore throat and runny nose. While you can treat the symptoms for comfort, such as eye
drops for eyes, you have to wait out the virus itself to leave your system—with proper dietary
and hygiene practices, of course.
- Bacterial pink eye becomes more intense when you leave it without treatment. The primary
symptom that your pink eye is bacterial is that there’s a lot more mucosal discharge than the
viral pink eye, and the infection gains momentum every day. Prompt antibiotic treatment is
crucial.
Identifying your pink eye correctly is imperative, because the correct treatment is necessary for both relief and to avoid it from spreading to others.
4: What is Commonly Misdiagnosed as Pink Eye – Top Possibilities?
There are two different types of pink eye you need to differentiate. In the unfortunate circumstance that you have any of these two, known which is which. Then there’s the matter of realizing if it is pink eye that you’re facing. Here you will find a number of eye diseases that initially present themselves as pink eye. Since the main identifier of the problem is the pinkness of the eye, misunderstanding is imminent.
In case you wake up with redness in your eyes, make sure that your first step is NOT to put in the eye drops you keep around. These may be okay to use when your eyes are itchy after a short night’s sleep or long periods of time in front of the screen. However, to avoid worsening the problem, avoid self- medication and ensure that your eye ailment is not misdiagnosed as pink eye.
The smart thing to do is to make an appointment with your ophthalmologist immediately. In case you feel extreme discomfort in your eye, avoid medicinal intervention till your professional diagnosis is complete. Instead, thoroughly wash your eye(s) with cold water, and avoid exposure to direct sunlight or dust. Take a look at the possible eye problems usually misdiagnosed as pink eye to take a proper route for
care and treatment.
5: Allergic Conjunctivitis:
The word conjunctivitis may exist in this condition, but there is a difference in some of the causes, signs, as well as the treatment. It is common to mistake it as pink eye because of the signature visibility of inflamed blood vessels on the sclera. The watery discharge and itching also contribute to the misunderstanding. Distinct symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis include hallmark signs of an allergy. These are congestion, sneezing, runny nose, dry/itchy throat, constant coughing, and redness on the skin. The treatment of allergic conjunctivitis is similar to that of pink eye—involving antihistamine eye drops.
However, unlike medicine to deal with an infection, the target is to address the allergy. This includes providing a cure and preventing the allergy in the future by avoiding the triggers. A simple way to understand if your “pink eye” is in fact an allergic reaction is to assess the surroundings.
A dusty environment, pollen-ridden air, or the presence of pets can result in allergic conjunctivitis. However, this is only a guess; only an ophthalmologist can tell you if it is pink eye—or an allergy that you misdiagnosed as pink eye!
6: Dry Eye Syndrome:
Another condition that is usually misdiagnosed as pink eye is dry eye syndrome. Briefly, what this means is that your eye does not produce enough tears, or the tears that it does produce dry quickly due to internal or external causes. Hydrated eyes mean there’s enough moisture to wash away dust, keep the bacteria at bay, and generally make it comfortable to blink and see. Dry eye syndrome may result due to health issues that cause the aqueous liquid and fatty oils in the eye to diminish. For instance, the cause could be a hormonal imbalance or an autoimmune disease.
The symptoms of dry eye syndrome may resemble pink eye disease, but some of its signs are distinct. Look out for redness paired with itchiness, light sensitivity, a constant sensation of having something in
the eye, extreme discomfort when putting on contact lenses, and imbalanced tear film.
The treatment of dry eye syndrome is usually topical, unlike conjunctivitis—which combines both external and internal medicinal intervention. Therefore, it is necessary to get a proper checkup to avoid dry eye syndrome being misdiagnosed as pink eye.
7: Blepharitis (Eyelid Inflammation):
The inner eye does not always
become red, but in cases it does it can seem like pink eye. Blepharitis is usually a result of clogged oil glands. The fatty oils that naturally result in your eye to keep it hydrated build up within the base where your eyelashes grow.
This inflammation may turn into a contagious infection, but that is quite rare. Proper hygiene is key the preventing blepharitis. In addition to mites, it can occur due to bacterial infection from dust, toxins, or unwashed or expired makeup such as powdered eye shadow and mascara.
The course of treatment for blepharitis differs much from pink eye, as it usually involves anti-septic sprays and ointments.
8: Contact Lenses Issues:
There’s a good reason why your optometrist guides you regarding the proper use and maintenance of contact lenses. Poor use of contact lenses results in inflammation and infection that are commonly misdiagnosed as pink eye. There are a number of reasons why contact lenses cause your eyes to become red similar to that in the case of pink eye:
- Lengthy use of contact lenses. Different types of contact lenses are for use till different time
lengths till they irritate the eyes. Make sure to follow your optometrist’s instructions. - Improper or not enough cleaning. After every use, you need to wash your lenses before you soak them and store them in fresh solution.
- Lack of oxygen to your eyes. While there are certain lenses you can keep on for a long time, it isbest not to do so, especially if you wear yours every day. Contact lenses block the flow of oxygento your eye to some extent, which is why they may become weary and inflamed.
If you wear lenses and experience redness and irritation in your eyes, consult your eye specialist.
9: Particle Intervention:
The presence of a foreign particle in the eye can result in symptoms such as redness, pain, and excessive tear production. What’s more, all of which are also indications of pink eye. Hence the reason the effect of outside particles is misdiagnosed as pink eye. Look out for external factors such as eyelashes, dust, or other small particles that end up creating discomfort and inflammation. It is crucial that you get rid of this tiny invasion promptly to avoid potential complications.
As a result of delayed eradication of the particle, you may have to head to the emergency room. Certain external particles can scrape the cornea and cause vision impairment. The onset of the symptoms of external particles is usually faster than that of pink eye.
Therefore, it is unlikely that the redness and discomfort in your eye is misdiagnosed as pink eye. If you ever happen to feel something foreign in your eye, gently flush it with some cold water. Remember, try not to rub your eyes too hard as it might make things worse. Keep flushing and blinking, as this might help get rid of the object.
But if you’re not successful, don’t worry. They’ll know exactly what to do to help you out.
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10: Chemical Exposure:
If the redness in your eyes is after an instance where you got a chemical in your eye, it may not necessarily be pink eye. Exposing your eyes to household or industrial chemicals can commonly happen at home or at work, so it’s easy for your symptoms to be misdiagnosed as pink eye. Practice caution. Avoid eye contact with daily-use items such as hairsprays and makeup sprays. If you use any harsh chemical cleaning products, the kind that makes your eye watery, then consider wearing goggles. Check labels on all products you use to stay alert.
At work, you’ll usually find helpful information on workplace hazardous materials to help you avoid potential dangers. Despite carefulness, it is possible to accidentally come into contact with harmful
chemicals. However, this is an eye emergency, so seek out emergency eye care.
In case of an ongoing case of pink eye around you, you may coincidentally come in contact with chemicals and get pink eye too. To stay on the safe side and avoid a much more serious problem being misdiagnosed as pink eye, visit an ophthalmologist.
11: Getting A Proper Treatment For Pink Eye:
What is commonly misdiagnosed as pink eye: there are a lot of possibilities. One thing is certain, pink eye can be quite uncomfortable and can even harm your eyes. Therefore, it is crucial to treat it as soon as possible.