If you’ve ever had an eye infection, you know how painful and frustrating it can be. And if you’re not careful, it can lead to permanent vision loss.The good news is they’re easily treatable and an optometrist is the one to handle it.
Read on as a Lake Stevens, WA optometrist talks about eye infections, symptoms to watch for, and how an optometrist would go about treating them.
When you think of an eye infection, you probably picture a red, swollen eye with pus and maybe even a discharge. And that’s exactly what an eye infection is—a bacterial or viral infection in your eyes.
Eye infections can be caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites—and some types of infections may even be caused by allergies!
There are three main symptoms that indicate an infection is present:
These symptoms will appear gradually over time as your body fights off the bacteria that has entered your body through the conjunctiva. This is the clear tissue that covers the white part of your eye (sclera) and the inside of your eyelids. You may also experience headaches, nausea, or vomiting if you have a more serious eye infection.
An eye infection can be one of the most painful things you’ve ever experienced. It’s also one of the most common and preventable illnesses that people suffer from.
But did you know that an untreated eye infection can cause long-lasting damage to your vision?
The cornea is the outermost layer of your eye, and it’s responsible for focusing light on your retina (the lining at the back of your eye). If this layer becomes damaged, it can lead to scarring and vision loss.
If your infection is severe enough, your doctor may even recommend surgery to remove scar tissue from around your cornea or conjunctiva (the membrane surrounding your eyeball).
If you have more questions or wish to schedule a checkup, feel free to call our Lake Stevens, WA optometry office anytime!
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