If you have pink eye during pregnancy, it is best to get it treated immediately. Pink eye is a highly contagious disease that can be spread by a simple touch. If prompt action is not taken, you might end up passing the infection on to your baby.
This disease basically affects the delicate membrane of the underside of the eyelid. The membrane gets infected by bacteria or virus. A more common cause of the pink eye is allergy to dust, pollen, and chemical pollutants. Conjunctivitis or pink eye can also be a symptom of a sexually transmitted disease.
Pink eye or conjunctivitis is characterized by soreness and redness of the eyes and surrounding areas. Along with the soreness, there is also itchiness, pain and irritation. The affected eyelid can swell up and gain a number of times its original thickness.
Antibiotics too have an effect only when the pink eye is caused by allergens and pollutants. If there is a clear discharge coming out of the affected eye, it’s a sure sign that the pink eye has been caused by a virus.
If it is a bacterial infection, you will wake up with an eye that has been shut tight because of seeping fluids. A greenish or yellowish discharge could keep flowing throughout the night and seal the eye shut. To open the shut eye, you may use a soft cloth or a ball of cotton doused in warm water. Gently rub it across the lids to loosen up the hardened discharge and remove it.
Pink eye caused by an allergen or pollutant gets healed on it’s own after some time or as soon as the person moves out of the environment where the irritants are present. Antihistamines can also be used to treat the pink eye caused by an allergen. You also get artificial tears, a popular over the counter medicine that can help ease the irritation.
During pregnancy, it is important to get thoroughly checked by a physician who will conduct some tests and determine which kind of pink eye you have. The doctor then accordingly prescribes the necessary antibiotics.
However, be wary of the anti biotic that your doctor prescribes. Do tell them about your pregnancy. Not all antibiotics are suitable for women who are pregnant. Some particular antibiotics can in fact be harmful for the fetus. Medication during pregnancy is anyway not advised and the risk is considerable therefore taking medications should be avoided as far as possible