Eye
Conjunctiva
Conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis-general
Author: Deepali Jain, M.D.
Last author update: 1 September 2013
Last staff update: 22 December 2020
Copyright: 2004-2023, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.
PubMed Search: Conjunctivitis [title] review[ptyp]
Table of Contents
Definition / general | Sites | Pathophysiology | Etiology | Clinical features | Laboratory | Treatment | Microscopic (histologic) descriptionCite this page: Jain D. Conjunctivitis-general. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/eyeconjunctivitisgeneral.html. Accessed September 28th, 2023.
Definition / general
- Conjunctivitis
Sites
- Bulbar or palpebral; unilateral or bilateral
Pathophysiology
- Acute (less than 4 weeks) or chronic; transmitted by direct contact
Etiology
- Caused by numerous infectious or noninfectious agents or allergic
- Reduction in surface mucin causes aqueous portion of tears to not adhere to corneal epithelium, leading to dry eye and corneal ulceration
Clinical features
- Itching, redness, chemosis, exudation and drainage; photophobia, decreased visual acuity, pain
Laboratory
- Clinical diagnosis; no testing is usually necessary
Treatment
- Treated medically depending upon etiology; may take 30 days for recovery (Cornea 2007;26:778)
Microscopic (histologic) description
- Usually not biopsied except as scrapings or smears
- Reduction in goblet cells; reduction in surface mucin
- Acute inflammation of conjunctival epithelium and substantia propria with exudate and edema (JAAPA 2013;26:60)
