Conjunctivitis is an uncomfortable eye disease causing much pain and discomfort to the sufferer. Fortunately, it is easily cured - especially with the help of a pair of eyeglasses!

If you’ve never had the condition of conjunctivitis, aptly nicknamed "pink eye", it’s difficult to imagine the feeling of having it or understand its signs and symptoms and it’s impossible to know how to treat it so that it goes away quickly!

Conjunctivitis is when the membrane covering the inner lining of your eye lids flares up and your eyes turn a pinky color (although they often go very red, even bloodshot), water continuously and puss. When sleeping, this puss dries up and that makes it difficult to open your eyes, making it a traumatic experience for young children. Aside from this, the condition can be painful and irritating, making the sufferer want to scratch and rub their eyes - which is the worst possible thing to do, by the way. It can also cause your vision to blur.

This condition is pretty standard and regular, with over 30% of all eye complaints falling into this category. It is also highly contagious and can be spread from eye to eye or from one person to the next. All experts will recommend that both adults and children should not go to work, school, or other populated areas in order to prevent spreading the condition on to others.

The causes are numerous - either a bacterial or viral infection; an allergic reaction to something; an eye injury; exposure to substances known to irritate one’s eyes; and even too much exposure to chlorine while swimming. Another big cause can be wearing contact lenses.

Proper hygiene is the key to preventing the disease. Regular washing of hands is a necessity - especially when dealing with objects or items that may be considered irritants or allergens. You should also take care NOT to touch your eyes at all unless just after washing them. Sharing cosmetics; towels; wash clothes; or handkerchiefs is another no-no as the germs may spread that way.

Contact lenses are a big problem when it comes to conjunctivitis. If you are going to wear them, make sure you don’t wear them for extended periods and most importantly, to keep a strict cleaning and hygiene regime when it comes to their usage.

If you do happen to contract conjunctivitis, what is the treatment? Well, your doctor will certainly give you some level of medical treatment, such as ointment, drops or actual medical pills. For bacterial conjunctivitis the medication will be antibiotics, while for viral conjunctivitis the treatment is only to provide some relief to the patient as antibiotics don’t help. Other soothers could be using a warm or cold eye compress - this includes that old wives tale of using used herbal tea bags (especially chamomile).

Prescription glasses can help. For those suffering from myopia, hyperopia or have the need for multifocal glasses, contact lenses are often a chosen visual solution as they need not change their looks at all or show anyone that they need optical assistance. However, as noted above, contact lenses can cause conjunctivitis owing to extended use, misuse, not cleaning them properly and so on. Therefore, glasses should always be on hand so contact lenses can be removed and glasses worn at the first sign of conjunctivitis. Even more importantly, having eyeglasses manufactured from a recently updated eyeglasses prescription will help the conjunctivitis sufferer to see clearly - even while suffering from symptomatic blurred vision.