Forms of Pinkeye
Pinkeye is a common term for conjunctivitis, which describes inflammation of the conjunctiva (commonly known as the whites of the eyes). The inflammation causes the capillaries to become leaky, causing extra red blood cells to be in the conjunctiva and giving them a distinctive pink appearance. There can be many causes for the inflammation that causes pinkeye. Some are infectious, which means they are caused by viruses or bacteria and can be spread among individuals. Other causes of conjunctivitis are caused by allergies or chemical irritation, which can make them appear to be communicable.
Spread of Infectious Pinkeye
When pinkeye is caused by bacteria or viral infections, it can easily spread throughout a population. Infectious pinkeye is most commonly spread when an infected person touch his eyes with his hands, which causes the infectious agent to be on the fingertips. Then, if an uninfected person touches the infected person's hands (or anything that he has touched) and then touches her eye, she can catch pinkeye. Pinkeye can also be spread by sharing towels or any other fabric item that touches eyes. Sometimes pinkeye can be spread if an infected person uses a public pool, because the virus or bacteria can then spread throughout the pool's water.
Non-infectious Pinkeye
Sometimes, non-infectious pinkeye appears to spread throughout a group of people because they are being exposed to the same stimuli causing the inflammation. For example, pinkeye can be caused by allergies. People spending a lot of time together are exposed to the same allergens, which can cause them to all develop conjunctivitis. This may make it seem as though they're spreading pinkeye to each other. Similarly, pinkeye can be caused by eye irritation, which can be the result of chemicals (those used to disinfect pools, for example).
