Conjunctivitis

ACUTE MUCOPURULENT CONJUNCTIVITIS

Acute mucopurulent conjunctivitis is the most common type of acute bacterial conjunctivitis. It is characterised by marked conjunctival hyperaemia and mucopurulent discharge from the eye. Common causative bacteria are: Staphylococcus aureus, Koch-Weeks bacillus, Pneumococcus and Streptococcus.

Mucopurulent conjunctivitis generally accompanies exanthemata such as measles and scarlet fever. Clinical picture Symptoms Discomfort and foreign body sensation due to engorgement of vessels. Mild photophobia, i.e., difficulty to tolerate light. Mucopurulent discharge from the eyes. Sticking together of lid margins with discharge during sleep. Slight blurring of vision due to mucous flakes in front of cornea. Sometimes patient may complain of coloured halos due to prismatic effect of mucus present on cornea.

Signs Conjunctival congestion, which is more marked in palpebral conjunctiva, fornices and peripheral part of bulbar conjunctiva, giving the appearance of ‘fiery red eye’. The congestion is typically less marked in circumcorneal zone. Chemosis i.e., swelling of conjunctiva. Petechial haemorrhages are seen when the causative organism is pneumococcus.
Signs of acute mucopurulent conjunctivitis. Flakes of mucopus are seen in the fornices, canthi and lid margins. Cilia are usually matted together with yellow crusts. Clinical course. Mucopurulent conjunctivitis reaches its height in three to four days. If untreated, in mild cases the infection may be overcome and the condition is cured in 10-15 days; or it may pass to less intense form, the ‘chronic catarrhal conjunctivitis’. Complications. Occasionally the disease may be complicated by marginal corneal ulcer, superficial keratitis, blepharitis or dacryocystitis.