What is Conjunctivitis?

NBC's Bob Costas had to leave his coverage of Sochi Olympics for a couple of days. Do you know what forced him to leave? Conjunctivitis. We all have experienced those irritating couple of days when our eyes turn into fireballs, itch horribly, and just wouldn't open in the morning.

What is Conjunctivitis?

Inflammation of conjunctiva - a white membrane on the eyeball

What are its symptoms?

Redness of the eyeball, discharge from and itching of the eyes.

Why does this occur?

Conjunctivitis can happen due to infections that you pick-up, trauma, allergies that you may have or auto-immunity.

How is it treated?

Treatment is usually cause-specific. First line of treatment comprises of NSAIDs, hot compresses along with drugs to tackle underlying cause. If conditions worsen, the patient may be put on steroids.

What to do when you have Conjunctivitis?

Self-isolation and rest are advised, the former since the infection can spread quickly. Do not expose your eyes to sun or dust, wear goggles, do not touch your eyes and wash them with cold water and avoid seeing computer monitors.