Psychosomatics of conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis is inflammation of the thin layer that covers the white of the eye and the inside of the eyelids. The eye turns red, waters and itches, and in the morning the lids stick together. It can be viral, bacterial or allergic, and in most cases it clears up in one to two weeks. The Ladder method adds questions about what is hard for you to look at.
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When to see a doctor
An ophthalmologist or GP makes the diagnosis from an examination. The NHS advises seeing a doctor if symptoms do not clear in 2 weeks, and at once for eye pain, sensitivity to light, reduced vision, and in a baby under 3 months. A doctor, not a pharmacy guess, should choose the drops.
In the Ladder method
In the Ladder method conjunctivitis is not explained as "you do not want to see the truth", and you are not to blame for becoming ill. The cause is viruses, bacteria, allergy and irritants, and a doctor treats it. Questions to yourself belong alongside treatment, not instead of it.
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In the method the eyes fit the image of what you see and what is hard for you to look at. It is an image, not the cause, and it does not replace an examination by an ophthalmologist.
On the ladder this shows up as the steps "I do not want to see" and "it is hard to watch what is happening". You can work through them at your own pace.
These are questions for reflection, not an explanation of what causes the condition and not a treatment.
More: signs, medicine, sources, questions
How it shows up
Book a doctor’s appointment if you notice:
- A red eye
- A gritty or burning feeling
- Itching and watering
- Discharge, lids stuck together in the morning
- Swollen eyelids
- One eye first, then the other
What medicine knows
The conjunctiva is a thin clear layer over the white of the eye and under the lids. When it becomes inflamed, the blood vessels widen and the eye turns red. The NHS describes three kinds of conjunctivitis: infectious (viral or bacterial), allergic and irritant.
Viral and bacterial conjunctivitis are contagious: they spread through hands, towels and pillows. Allergic conjunctivitis is linked to pollen, dust, pet hair and cosmetics and is not contagious. Irritant conjunctivitis comes from smoke, chlorine or contact lenses.
Signs according to the NHS and MedlinePlus: redness, a gritty feeling, burning and itching, watering, discharge (sticky and yellow-green in the bacterial kind, with lids stuck together in the morning), sometimes swollen lids. Usually one eye is affected first, then the other.
What helps: wash your hands more often, do not rub your eyes, use your own towel, take out contact lenses until you recover, rinse the eyes with clean water and wipe away crusts with a cotton pad. The bacterial kind often clears by itself, and in a severe case the doctor prescribes antibiotic drops. For allergic conjunctivitis antihistamine drops and avoiding the allergen help (NHS).
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Frequently asked questions
Can conjunctivitis be caused by nerves?
No, conjunctivitis is caused by viruses, bacteria, allergens and irritants (NHS, MedlinePlus). Stress and tired eyes can make redness more noticeable, but they do not cause it themselves.
What does conjunctivitis mean in psychosomatics?
There is no proven "meaning". In the Ladder method conjunctivitis becomes a reason to ask yourself what is hard to look at and what you are not yet ready to admit. It is a question to yourself, not a diagnosis.
Is conjunctivitis contagious?
Viral and bacterial kinds are contagious: they spread through hands, towels and pillows. The allergic kind is not. Wash your hands, do not touch your eyes, use your own towel. Bacterial and viral kinds usually clear in 1 to 2 weeks (NHS).
Related topics
Psychosomatics does not replace tests and treatment. Only a doctor can make a diagnosis.