Various eye infections and diseases can be caused due to bacteria, fungi, or viruses. Based on the nature of infections, they can occur in different parts of the eye. Such infections can affect one or both eyes. Read on to know the warning signs, causes, and treatments for eye infections and diseases.

1. Signs and symptoms of common eye infections and diseases

• Red eyes
• Pain
• Eye discharge
• Watery eyes
• Dry eyes
• Light sensitivity
• Swelling around the eyes
• Itching
• Blurry vision

2. Causes of eye infections diseases
There are various types of eye infections that can be developed based on their causes. Below is a brief overview of some common eye infections and their causes.

• Conjunctivitis or pink eye
  It is one of the highly contagious eye infections. Hence, conjunctivitis can spread among children quickly in classrooms, daycare centers, and such similar environments. In general, common infectious conjunctivitis has viral or bacterial origins.
• Viral keratitis
  In addition to the common pink eye, there are various other viral eye infections and diseases that are common, which are referred to as viral keratitis. These usually occur due to the exposure to the herpes simplex virus.
• Fungal keratitis
  This type of eye infection is primarily associated with Fusarium fungi, which is commonly found in organic matter. In fungal keratitis, fungi can invade the eye through a penetrating injury caused by a tree branch.
• Acanthamoeba keratitis
  Typically, the contact lens wearers are at a high risk of Acanthamoeba keratitis. In this type of infection, the encountering parasites can invade the eye and cause a serious sight-threatening infection.
• Trachoma
  Trachoma is believed to be caused by Chlamydia trachomatis. This is widespread in certain underdeveloped regions and is a major cause of blindness. In trachoma, flies can spread the infection in unsanitary environments, where reinfection is also a common problem.
• Endophthalmitis
  Endophthalmitis usually occurs due to a penetrating eye injury or as a rare complication of eye surgery such as cataract surgery. In this type of eye infection, rarely, mold that penetrates the eye’s interior can cause endophthalmitis. This is mostly reported in the tropical regions.

3. Treatment for eye infections and diseases
Fortunately, most of the common bacterial eye infections can be cured with prompt treatment. Almost all the bacterial eye infections can be treated successfully with the help of antibiotic eye drops or ointments and compresses.

On the other hand, the viral eye infections get healed by itself over some time. In the case of severe viral eye infections, the doctor may prescribe antiviral eye drops as a treatment method. It is also to be noted that certain viral eye infections and diseases require careful administration of steroid eye drops to reduce the inflammation caused by it.

Based on the underlying cause of your eye infection, doctors may also prescribe antibiotics or antiviral medications that can be taken orally.