Your eyes may turn color overtime or become itchy. Could it be an infection? If yes, what could be the cause of the infection? An eye doctor can confirm the diagnosis, but it is important to learn how to spot the symptoms of an eye infection and what the next steps should be. At Curtis R Anderson, O.D. in Lawrence, KS, we encounter several cases of eye infections, and our optometrist can help treat them.
Causes of an Eye Infection
A viral or bacterial infection is the likely cause of your eye infection. Although bacteria live in your skin, irritation or injury to your eye may cause the bacteria to penetrate your eye, causing an infection.
Sometimes, you can get an eye infection from viruses or bacteria that don’t live in your skin. For instance, shaking hands with someone with an eye infection and then rubbing your eyes with the infected hands could transmit the infection. Plus, sharing cosmetics, pillows, and towels can cause one. The other common causes of may include:
- Foreign objects in the eye
- Allergens
- Eye injury
- Fungi
- Parasites
If you notice you have an eye infection, get help from our eye doctor. While most eye infections are mild, others can threaten your vision, and that’s why you should get the help of our optometrist to get rid of your infection.
Types of Eye Infections
Depending on the cause, you may have different eye infections. The common ones may include:
- Pink eye (conjunctivitis)
- Stye
- Uveitis
- Keratitis
- Shingles
- Herpes Simplex
Symptoms of Eye Infections
How can you tell you have an eye infection? It depends on the cause. However, if you have an eye infection, you are likely to exhibit symptoms like:
- Itchy eyes
- Discharge
- Swelling around the pain
- Light sensitivity
- Burning feeling
- Feeling as if you have a foreign object in the eye
- Eye redness
Contact Us Eye Infection Treatment from Our Optometrist
Suspecting you have an eye infection in Lawrence, KS? Book an appointment with Curtis R Anderson, O.D. Our optometrist has several treatments to ensure your eye is infection-free. Call us at 785-843-8200.