How Can You Get Pink Eye from a Poop: Causes and Treatment

Pink eye, one of the typical symptoms of conjunctivitis, is often misunderstood for different causal reasons and one of them is poop. 

If you also wonder, can you get pink eye from poop, the chances are very less but not null. 

A person suffering from pink eye is usually found having a medical condition called conjunctivitis, also known as sticky eye or eye flu. It is a common eye infection where the white part of the eyes becomes pink or red. 

Pink eye results from an inflammation of the clear tissue that lines the inside surface of your eyelid and outer coating of your eye, also known as conjunctiva. It is highly contagious.

The major reasons behind getting pink eye can include bacterial and viral infection, allergy and irritants such as dust particles or chemicals.

Sometimes, these infections may come from fecal material and thus cause pink eye from poop. In such cases, pink eye is often accompanied by other symptoms such as puffiness around eyes, teary eyes, itching, burning and gritty sensation around eyes. You may also feel pain and have blurred vision. 

In severe cases, the lymph nodes in the front of the eyes swell and you may experience thick and yellow discharge. 

What Causes Pink Eye Poop?

Bacteria or viruses in poop can be one of many other reasons for causing pink eye. Having contact with fecal matter can contaminate your hand and then your eyes.

The conjunctiva reacts to a wide range of bacteria, viruses, and agents that provoke allergy, irritants, toxic chemicals, and the underlying disease within the body. Viral and bacterial forms of conjunctivitis are very common in childhood, although they can occur in people of all ages.

Conjunctivitis can either be infectious or non-infectious. Infectious forms of pink eye can spread by direct contact with infected people. If your hand contains fecal matter and you touch your eyes, you can get pink eyes.

So, yes you can get pink eyes from poop when you don’t maintain proper hygiene after pooping. If by any chance you have touched the fecal matter and used the same hand in touching or rubbing the eyes, the bacteria present in feces will reach your eyes, causing infections and turning them pink. 

Common Causes of Pink Eye

The common factors that cause pink eye are:

• Viruses, such as rubella virus, herpes simplex virus, and adenovirus.
• Bacteria, such as staphylococci streptococci. Gonococci and Chlamydia may also cause bacterial pink eye.
• Allergy by exposure to allergens such as dust mites, pollens, animal dander, and mold.
• Foreign object in the eye
• Blocked tear duct
• Splash of any chemical

How to Prevent Pink Eye from Poop

Conjunctivitis is highly contagious like the common cold. To manage the transmission of pink eye, good hygiene should be practiced, such as:

• Washing hand well and frequently, especially after going to restroom
• Avoid touching your eyes
• Using clean wash clothes and towel daily
• Avoid sharing towels, wash clothes, handkerchiefs, personal eye care products, or cosmetics
• Disinfect surfaces like countertops, door knobs
• Changing pillowcases and linen often
• Throwing away contact lenses worn since contracting conjunctivitis, cleaning the glasses thoroughly
• Avoid close contact with those who are already suffering from conjunctivitis.

In a nutshell, efforts should be made to maintain proper hygiene, especially after you have used the bathroom and toilet seat because it is the place from where you can get pink eyes from poop. 

How to Treat Pink Eyes?

• Antibiotics in the form of eye-drops, ointment or pill are the recommended treatment for pink eye caused by bacteria.
• Cold or warm compress applied to the eyes can help clear the discharge and reduce the swelling.
• Use washcloths to wipe the eyes inside out to clean the discharge.
• Wash the eyes several times a day

When to See a Doctor?

When someone thinks that they have bacterial conjunctivitis or pink eye, it is very important to see a doctor as soon as possible.

If the pink eye is caused by bacterial infection, an antibiotic can help the immune system to fight off and kill the infection. The same bacteria may also be responsible for other illnesses like cough, fever, runny nose and earache. 

The doctor will prescribe some topical antibiotic eye drops and an oral antibiotic to treat the infection. 

Conclusion

Pink eye usually heals on its own. However, you can prevent it from transmitting by practicing good hygiene and avoid touching your eyes with unclean and unwashed hands, especially after using the restroom. 

If the symptoms of bacterial pink eye improve, it is advised to go back to school or work 24 hours later after starting antibiotics. Whereas, viral pink eye can spread the infection if you have symptoms.

Image Source : freepik

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