Caring for the person with conjunctivitis (239kb)

Ian Peate
British Journal of Healthcare Assistants 3(11): 526 - 529 (Nov 2009)

Sight is one of the special senses along with hearing, smell, touch and taste, and loss of sight or a disturbance of vision can have a devastating effect on a person's health and wellbeing; the sense of sight allows an individual to experience their world. This article discusses the care of a person with conjunctivitis (inflammation of the conjunctiva), and provides an overview of the anatomy and physiology of the eye, with possible treatment options discussed so that healthcare assistants and assistant practitioners can provide safe, effective and sensitive care that is underpinned by knowledge. Failure to treat conjunctivitis, or inappropriate treatment or care can result in eye loss.