Conjunctivitis in unusual populations: A review of rare cases and challenges in diagnosis and management

Abstract

Conjunctivitis is defined as any inflammatory condition of the membrane that borders the eyelids and covers the exposed sclera. It is the most frequent reason for "red eye." The word "conjunctivitis" refers to a wide range of illnesses that manifest as conjunctival inflammation. Hyper acute, acute, or chronic inflammations are all possible, and their causes might be infectious or noninfectious. Conjunctival injection, sometimes known as "red eye," is a common presentation for various ocular illnesses and can represent up to 1% of all visits to the primary care physician. The presence of these two symptoms may identify 59% of instances with "serious eye conditions," including anterior uveitis and keratitis. Anisocoria and moderate photophobia were substantially related with "serious eye conditions. Before beginning antibiotic therapy, it is preferable to collect swabs from the discharge. The swabs are then cultured in the lab by placing them in different growth media. It is recommended to use Sabouraud agar plates to detect fungus in immunocompromised individuals and those with persistent blepharitis. Additionally, anaerobic culture plates may be beneficial, particularly for individuals who have a history of prior surgery or trauma. A very contagious kind of viral conjunctivitis is acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis (AHC). It presents with a feeling of a foreign body, excessive weeping, and edema of the eyelids, dilated conjunctival vessels, chemosis, and subconjunctival hemorrhage. When a person is sexually active as an adult or a newborn, Neisseria gonorrhoeae is frequently the cause of hyperacute conjunctivitis. Conjunctiva, eyelids, and cornea can all be impacted by ocular allergies along with other ocular surface areas. Ocular allergy disorders have been divided into three main categories by Leonardi et al based on the immunological mechanism responsible for the final clinical appearance. Patients suffering with viral conjunctivitis have quick onset foreign body feeling, red eyes, irritation, light sensitivity, burning, and watery discharge. Patients with bacterial conjunctivitis have all of the aforementioned symptoms as well as mucopurulent discharge and mattering of the eyelids upon awakening. For individuals with conjunctivitis, general supportive therapies include allergen avoidance (pollens, animals, and dust mites), the use of artificial tears, proper hand hygiene, cold compresses, avoidance of eye rubbing, and mild cleanser to remove any allergens or debris.