eye disorders
Acute Bacterial Conjunctivitis
Treatment of Acute Bacterial Conjunctivitis
Antibiotics (topical for all causes except gonococcal and chlamydial) Bacterial conjunctivitis is very contagious, and standard infection control measures should be followed. Cliniciansavoid transmitting infection if they do the following: Use hand sanitizer or wash their hands properly (fully lather hands, scrub hands for at least 20 seconds, rinse well, and turn off the water using a paper towel) Disinfect equipment after examining patients Patientsshould do the following: Use hand sanitizer and/or wash their hands thoroughly after touching their eyes or nasal secretions Avoid touching the noninfected eye after touching the infected eye Avoid sharing towels or pillows Avoid swimming in pools If neither Gonorrhea nor 1 g orally once (to treat possible chlamydial co-infection [ Trachoma ]) or with Ophthalmia neonatorum is prevented by the routine use ofsilver nitrateeye drops (not available in the United States) orerythromycinointment at birth. Infections that develop despite this treatment require systemic treatment. For gonococcal infection,ceftriaxone25 to 50 mg/kg IV or IM (not exceeding 125 mg) is given as a single dose. Chlamydial infection is treated witherythromycin12.5 mg/kg orally or IV 4 times a day for 14 days. The parents should also be treated. 