Conjunctivitis can also result from irritation due to wind, dust, smoke, other types of air pollution, and intense ultraviolet light of electric arcs, sunlamps, and reflection from snow. Prominent symptoms and signs found in acute conjunctivitis are shown in Table 95-2. The treatment of each type of acute conjunctivitis is described below. An acute conjunctival inflammation caused by a virus. After an incubation period of about 5 to 12 days, symptoms include conjunctival hyperemia, watery discharge, ocular irritation, and eyelids that are stuck together on awakening.
Symptoms are often bilateral and usually begin in one eye.
The bulbar and tarsal conjunctivae are hyperemic. Conjunctival follicles are present on the palpebral conjunctiva. The preauricular lymph node is often enlarged and painful. In severe viral conjunctivitis, patients may complain of significant photophobia and foreign-body sensation. This corneal scarring will occasionally result in decreased vision and significant glare.