Signs and Symptoms of Pink Eye

Pink eye is a very uncomfortable yet usually short-lived condition. It can feel different for different people and can range in severity, but there are certain symptoms that are very common. These symptoms include the following.

Pink eye

Obviously, one symptom of pink eye is its namesake. The white of your eye will appear pink, reddish or bloodshot. This is one of the most common symptoms and might be the most noticeable one.

Itchiness of the eye

A person who has pink eye may feel itchiness in their eye. This can be extremely uncomfortable because you obviously cannot scratch your eye. This can range in severity.

Eye pain

Your eye may hurt when you have pink eye. It can be a very funny combination – the pain and the itchiness. You may experience both at the same time or they may alternate. Like the itchiness, the pain can vary in how bad it is.

Discharge

This may be one of the “yuckiest” parts of pink eye. You may have a discharge of mucus coming from your eye. It can come pretty regularly and seem like a lot of discharge. It may be yellow. You may see that your eye and vision are getting constantly clouded by it. You may need a tissue or a napkin to constantly wipe it away. The mucus may also irritate your eye as well.

Swelling around the eye making it difficult to open your eye

You eyelid can get extremely swollen when you have pink eye. It can be swollen on the top and the bottom all around your eye. This can make it difficult to open your eye all the way. It can get so severe that it is hard to open it at all. Sometimes people will find that their eyes have swollen shut from the swelling and the mucus when they wake up. If this happens, use a warm wet compress to help loosen the discharge from your eye.

Difficulty seeing

This can come as a result of the other symptoms. If you have mucus in your eye, then your vision might be seem blurry or it may be otherwise difficult to see. If your eyelids are swollen somewhat shut then of course that will impede your vision. Also if it hurts, it may be difficult to move your eye back and forth to look at different things.

Sensitivity to light

Your eye may feel sensitive to the light. You may want to wear sunglasses if you are going somewhere that is bright.

These symptoms can range in severity and in duration. If you go to the doctor and he or she diagnoses you with pink eye, then they may prescribe antibiotic eye drops, which can make you feel better sooner. Pink eye is very contagious, so be careful to wash your hands and avoid touching your eye as much as possible while experiencing this condition.