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Medical Forum / General / Vision / July 2006Is this normal? Pink Eye/Conjunctivitis
Ok, usually when I get a Cold, the timeline is: First 3-4 Days - sore throat and tiredness Next 3-4 Days - coughing and runny nose. Now I started getting a sore throat on Friday and was down most of the holiday weekend. Tuesday night started with a cough. Yesterday (Wednesday) I noticed my left eye is tearing up a lot. And there seems to be more than normal "gunk" produced. and its blood shot, but no itchiness or pain or grittiness feeling. I was thinking this is due to my coughing ALOT...maybe the pressure from coughing and being sick irritated/redden my eye. But after doing some research it sounds like Viral conjunctivitis. Which I heard can be caused by a cold.....? I am currently out of town for work, but reading online, it sounds like Viral conjunctivitis goes away on its own anyway. So hopefully the cold and the eye problem will be done soon. Basically 2 main questions: 1. Is this normal? I've gotten lots of colds before, but I never heard of getting Pink Eye from it. 2. I heard pink eye is very contagious, but what is the life span of the virus on objects? Like if I touch my eye and then a magazine, and my friend comes over the next night, should he be careful? Or does the virus die after a few minutes in the open air? Thanks > Ok, usually when I get a Cold, the timeline is: > First 3-4 Days - sore throat and tiredness > Next 3-4 Days - coughing and runny nose. Having a cold usually confers some limited immunity to *that strain* of cold virus, for a couple of years. Since your colds are usually different strains of virus, you can expect them to vary in symptoms. The eyes and the sinuses are physiologically very similar. Some "cold" viruses infect the eyes as well, and other "eye" viruses might cause sore throat and fever but not a stuffy nose. These viruses (rhinovirus and adenovirus, primarily) all have similar symptoms and all have the same treatment, more-or-less: rest, fluids, decongestants and hygeine. If your cough *caused* a "red eye" then it doesn't look like conjunctivitis, it looks like a deep red stain covering part of the white of your eye. Blood vessels break and bleed there sometimes. OTOH, generalized, "pink" vascular congestion can be presumed viral when associated with fever, sore throat, and enlarged lymph nodes. > 2. I heard pink eye is very contagious, but what is the life span of > the virus on objects? About like cold viruses. > Like if I touch my eye and then a magazine, and my friend comes over > the next night, should he be careful? Or does the virus die after a > few minutes in the open air? Cold viruses can survive several hours. -MT, OD > Since your colds are usually different strains of virus, you can expect them > to vary in symptoms. True, but my usual reactions to them have usually been pretty consistant. But this is the first time I have conjunctivitis symptoms, ever. > The eyes and the sinuses are physiologically very similar. Some "cold" > viruses infect the eyes as well, and other "eye" viruses might cause sore > throat and fever but not a stuffy nose. So viral conjunctivitis wouldnt show up along with a stuffy nose? Hmmm so now Im wondering what it could be then. > If your cough *caused* a "red eye" then it doesn't look like conjunctivitis, > it looks like a deep red stain covering part of the white of your eye. Blood You're right, thats why I looked into Pink Eye. My initial thought was too much pressure, because I cough so much, that sometimes I try to keep my mouth close to "stiffle" the cough. But you're right, if the pressure caused redness, it would be a spot most likely and not the blood vessels. > Cold viruses can survive several hours. Ok. I was also concerned that when I leave the office on friday my officemate who is out this week, would catch germs on monday, but the germs should die by Saturday. Yesterday was watering and producing gunk all day. Usually when I wake up I have gunk at the corners of the eye, but this time it is in the middle of the eye too. But Today, while the eye is pretty red, its been mostly dry, and not must gunk produced after I washed my eye out this morning. It does feel "full" like its about to well up, but its not watery like yesterday. Strange-ness Thanks sure. its commonplace to get a red irritated eye that is associated with an upper respiratory infection. some people even refer to this as "a cold in your eye". your tear duct is physically connected with your throat were cold viruses reside. the virus is no more contagious than a cold virus. not much to worry about but it is somewhat transmissable. just use common sense (don't share kleenex or hankerchief with others, wash hands frequently, etc.) it is caused by certain strains of adenoviruses usually. don't confuse this with severe pink eye which is also known as epidemic keratoconjunctivitis. that type of infection is pretty uncommon but is extremely contagious and takes weeks to clear up. the type of viral conjunctivitis you have is self-limiting just like a cold and is usually gone within a couple of days without any treatment. i'll bet its pretty much gone already. no need to worry. ================== > Ok, usually when I get a Cold, the timeline is: > First 3-4 Days - sore throat and tiredness [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > > Thanks > sure. its commonplace to get a red irritated eye that is associated > with an upper respiratory infection. some people even refer to this as > "a cold in your eye". your tear duct is physically connected with your > throat were cold viruses reside. Wow, I've just never heard of getting pink eye from a cold. I've never known anyone who had it either. > usually gone within a couple of days without any treatment. i'll bet > its pretty much gone already. well, last Weds. my left eye was watering a lot and had gunk in it during the day. Thursday, it felt full, but did not water, and no gunk. Friday - Today (monday) - both eyes are now red, but feels normal, no watering, etc. But everymorning my eyes are closed due to above average amounts of gunk. I still have a lingering cough from my cold, hopefully the eye thing will go away by the time the cough is done. Thanks > Wow, I've just never heard of getting pink eye from a cold. > I've never known anyone who had it either. You can probably remember a cold "moving" from your nose to your throat to your chest, no? Sometimes they "move" to the middle ear. Sometimes they move to the eye. Sometimes they start in the eye. "Pharyngoconjunctival fever" (PCF) is one especially annoying strain. Often an opportunistic bacterium will cause a secondary infection that _does_ respond to antibiotics. If your gluey lids continue, or if the discharge is yellow, many doctors would prescribe for it. -MT Ok, my cold has been gone for about a week now, but I still have a tiny lingering cough. But I still seem to have pink eye. About 2-3 weeks ago, when I had the cold, one day my eyes kept watering and having discharge. After that day, it stopped watering, but every morning there was slightly higher than normal discharge. Now (about 2-3 weeks later), the eyes still seem to be red (well the blood vessels), but the past few days my eyes have actually felt drier than normal. (I never had dry or watery eyes until this cold...my eyes have always been normal feeling) And when I leave a building and get into the sunlight, I seem to be slightly more sensitive for a few minutes, of course this could be due to the dryness. I still have slightly higher than normal discharge in the morning. What could the problem be? I thought pink eye due to colds usually depart after a week, its been about 2 weeks now. Thanks |
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