Have you ever woken up and found out that your eyelids have a gritty feeling accompanied by a sticky discharge? If the answer is yes, then you are likely to have been suffering from a bacterial eye infection. This is a health condition that causes the inflammation of the conjunctive (the mucous membranes that cover the white part of the eyes not forgetting the inside part of the eyelids.). Both your eyes or just one eye may appear to be red in color and the eyelids tending to stick together especially during the mornings while your eyelashes may contain some eye discharge. This infection is believed not to be very serious but due to its irritating nature, it may make you feel uncomfortable most of the time.
The bacterial eye infection is mainly caused by bacteria such as streptococci, hemophilias or the staphylococci bacteria. These bacteria are usually transmitted from one person who has the infection to another or sometimes the bacteria may come from the patient's own upper respiratory tract or skin where they are mostly situated.
Newborn babies often get this infection from the vaginal fluids of their mothers during birth. Due to their underdeveloped immune system, the babies usually get a severe form of this infection. Babies can also develop this eye infection from other forms of infection but doctors are known to use swabs to administer appropriate treatment to the baby. However, babies are commonly known to have poorly established tear passage systems. This usually makes them have watery sticky eyes. Therefore, you should be careful not to mistake this condition with the bacterial eye infection.
