A painful red eye may be caused by multiple reasons, one of the most common being conjunctivitis.
There are 3 common types of conjunctivitis: allergic, bacterial and viral. All do not transmit by just looking at one's eye.
Allergic conjunctivitis is often caused by an allergen such as dust or pollen. A type of allergic conjunctivitis is giant papillary conjunctivitis, often seen in contact lens wearers. It is an allergic response caused by contact lens rubbing against the eye for a prolonged period. Allergic conjunctivitis is not contagious and does not spread via direct contact.
On the other hand, both bacterial and viral conjunctivitis can be spread through direct contact. Bacterial conjunctivitis is caused by bacteria that has infected the eye through other sources of contamination, such as exposure to contaminated surfaces or through sinus infection. It can also be spread through contact with an infected person.
Viral conjunctivitis is highly contagious often associated with the same viruses that cause flu. Viral conjunctivitis usually produces a watery discharge together with redness of the eye. Infection in one eye often spreads to the other eye. It is important that you do not share any personal items like hand towels, pillow cases or makeup with anyone during this period to minimise infecting others.
There are other reasons that may cause red eye as well, such as corneal ulcer which is potentially sight threatening and requires immediate treatment.
I will recommend you visit an ophthalmologist to determine the exact cause of your symptoms and have the condition treated in a timely manner.
Dr David Chan
Senior Consultant Eye Surgeon
