Many of us at some point, have woken up to a terrible pain in our eyes, which we find has turned into a color of flaming pink when we have looked into the mirror. This condition is also known as pink eye or conjunctivitis. For many of the unlucky ones, this would have hit us right before an important event, and we would have had to show up in sunglasses or an eye patch. While those characters in the hilarious sitcoms carry it off with ease, this problem is quite ugly in real life.
Pink Eye: How To Prevent It?
It leads to an itchy, burning feeling within our eyes, redness, swelling, and even watering, all of which are sources of immense discomfort. So, if you are looking for ways to protect yourself from the disastrous side-effects associated with pink eye, then you have come to the right place.
1. Wash your hands regularly:
After the covid-19 pandemic, you might have realized the pressing role that handwashing plays in your life. Apply this lesson for the pink eye as well. You see, since pink eye primarily spreads through contact with an infected person, it would be extremely helpful if you made it a point to wash your hands at least 20 times a day, especially if you have thought you have come in contact with contaminated surfaces. While regular hand washing soap usually does the trick, you can also use alcohol-based soap if you want to go the extra mile.
2. Never share eye make-up:
On a girl’s night out, it is quite easy to mix up all of your makeup and just use whichever one looks best. While this could give you that killer looks that you were going for, it could have extremely negative side effects since you can never know who has been infected. So, make sure to keep your precious eye-liner, mascara, and eye shadows all to yourself. Also, make it a point to throw away any old makeup so that your eyes do not get reinfected.
3. Quit touching your face with your hands:
If you have come in contact with anyone who has been infected, then touching your face will only increase the chances of you developing it too. The germs can easily be transferred to your eyes, nose, and mouth the more you bring your face in contact with your hands. So, find a mechanism that would prevent you from touching your face, and regularly wash both your hands and your face to better prevent the chances of your developing pink eye.
4. Make use of clean towels and washcloths:
Regularly wash your towels after every use. You could increase your chances of developing pink eye if you make use of towels and washcloths that have come in contact with an infected surface. Moreover, it could also up your chances of getting reinfected if you used the same towels before. Furthermore, never share your towels with anyone else, as you could get infected if someone suffering from pink eye makes use of them.
5. Keep changing your pillowcases:
Your pillowcases could be a massive breeding ground for the germs that cause pink eye. If you had been infected before, then definitely change all the sheets in your house. If you are someone who does not have the habit of sleeping on your back, then you must take even more care to switch your pillowcases constantly. Wash them thoroughly if you have gone for quite a while without having changed them. If you have had one of those super cool sleepovers, then ensure you change your pillowcases immediately after all the fun, as this could reduce your chances of being infected to a large extent. If you share pillows with someone, then again you must take extra care to switch them every once in a while.
Conclusion
The pink eye is just as contagious as the common cold, so follow all the protocols you would follow if you were trying to prevent just that. Maintaining good hygiene plays a huge role in determining the extent of protection you have from this disease. Take care to sanitize all your belongings and your hands, especially if you have a very busy lifestyle. Stay away from people who have been contaminated, and thoroughly wash your hands and face if you think you might have come in contact with an infected person. Just have a habit of using everything clean, and you should be well on your way to preventing pink eye.