WHEN EYES MEET

WHY BEING IN THE PINK OF HEALTH DOESN'T APPLY TO THE EYE?

- DR MURUGANANTH

A very famous actor cum politician was constantly ridiculed for being drunk all the time owing to pink eye. But the truth is he wasn't drinking that much. And anyone can have pink eye, even if he's not drunk or has a disease. (Pink eye photo here)

As we go closer to the equator, pink eye is a common phenomenon that occurs in most of the people. It's the eye's defence mechanism against the highly dynamic tropical weather. We, ophthalmologists, call it muddy conjunctiva. The conjunctiva is a loose transparent tissue that covers the white part of the eye called sclera. (Conjunctiva photo here)

A muddy conjunctiva doesn't require any action, and no, there is no medicine to help bleach it. Just live with it and ignore the criticism that comes with it. We need to be selfish about certain imperfections in the body, and a muddy conjunctiva is one of them.

When the pink eye becomes a disease, it's called conjunctivitis. You can self-diagnose it doesn't go away in 24 hours... And it's imperative not to be egoistic and get an over-the-counter drug from the pharmacy and visit your ophthalmologist. Doing so can worsen the situation and can even cause loss of vision.

Behind the scene of a pink eye:

Eyes appear bloodshot or pink because the blood vessels of the conjunctiva become prominent due to reactions induced by either a virus, a bacteria, or an allergen like dust or pollen.

Sometimes, it follows a chemical spillage into the eye (cleaning liquids) or if your eyes trap a foreign body (pieces of tar or a but during welding. In newborns, it can occur with a faulty duct. Tear Pink eye usually happens in both eyes and responds well to medication. It can follow the common cold, a virus transmitted to the eyes via the nose to the tear duct to the eye.