13.1.2
Bacterial Conjunctivitis
Malawi Standard Treatment Guidelines, 6th Edition, 2023. Chapter 13, Ophthalmic Conditions.
Clinical Description
An acute conjunctivitis that develops secondary to a bacterial infection
Signs and Symptoms
- Pinkness or redness of the eye
- Burning, itching
- A sensation of grittiness or mild pain or discomfort in the eye.
- Thick, sticky discharge from the eye and swollen eye lids.
- It is usually bilateral but may be unilateral.
Treatment
- Eyelids to be cleaned of discharge before using topical antibiotics.
- Eye drops options include:
- Chloramphenicol 0.5%,
- Ciprofloxacin 0.3%,
- Ofloxacin 0.3%
- Moxifloxacin 0.5%
Note: Eye ointments such as Chloramphenicol and Tetracycline provide higher concentrations for longer periods than drops but inappropriate for day use because of blurred vision.
Check doses against the printed guideline and your clinical judgement before treating a patient. Spotted an error? Report it from the contact links below.
Need this without data?
The app holds every guideline on your device, with calculators, bookmarks and notes.