Can A Sinus Infection Cause Pink Eye? Exploring The Symptoms!

Have you noticed that often after getting affected by a sinus infection, your eyes turn reddish or pink and cause pink eyes? Pink eyes or conjunctivitis is an infection caused by viruses, bacteria, and allergens such as pollen. But often sinus infection or sinusitis can also cause you to have this condition.

This article examines the connection between the two conditions and tries to answer the question ‘Can a sinus infection cause pink eye’ based on research and available scientific material. Dive right into the article and find out about sinusitis and pink eyes and how both conditions are connected at a root level!

What Is Pink Eye?

Pink eye, as the name suggests, is an eye health condition characterized by redness in one or both eyes, itchiness, and irritation. It is also called conjunctivitis because the inflammation occurs on the conjunctiva,  which is a transparent membrane that covers white parts of the eye and lines inside your eyelid.

The reddish or pink color of the eyes happens due to the inflammation and swelling of the small blood vessels in the conjunctiva. Apart from redness and itching, having pink eyes can also cause your vision to be blurry and make you more sensitive to light. The main causes of pink eye are viruses, bacteria, and allergies. Based on this, there are different types of pink eyes and they are:

• Viral conjunctivitis- One of the most common types of conjunctivitis, viral conjunctivitis is caused by a virus, usually the same virus that causes a sore throat and runny nose. It is also one of the most contagious forms of pink eye. The issue starts with one eye and gradually spreads to the other eye within 24-48 hours. This health issue can happen along with other symptoms such as cold and respiratory problems.

• Bacterial conjunctivitis- Caused by bacteria, this is also relatively more contagious. The condition is characterized by redness in the eyes along with a lot of sticky pus. It affects children more than adults. 

• Allergic conjunctivitis- This pink eye is caused by allergens such as pollen, dust mites, pool chlorine, etc.  As a response to allergy, your body produces immunoglobulin, an antibody that triggers your eyes to produce substances like histamine. This causes redness and swelling of the eyes along with intense itching and inflammation of the eyes.

Pink eye is a commonly diagnosed condition worldwide and in the United States alone around 6 million cases are reported annually because of viral conjunctivitis. 

What is a sinus infection?

According to recent statistics from the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, around 31 million people in the United States get affected by sinus infections each year. It is also known by other names such as acute sinusitis.

As the name suggests, sinus infection is characterized by infection or inflammation that affects the tissues lining your sinuses. Sinuses are areas that surround your nose, eyebrows, headache, etc, and are filled with air.  The inflammatory reaction can be caused by viruses, fungi, or bacteria. There are mainly three types of sinus infections:

• Acute Sinusitis- As per the American Academy of Otolaryngology, acute sinusitis is a sinus infection that lasts for around 4 weeks.  It can be mainly caused by bacterial infections.

• Chronic Sinusitis- A sinus infection that lasts more than 3 months and is caused either by bacteria or fungus is called chronic sinusitis.

• Subacute Sinusitis- In this case, the symptoms can last from anywhere between 4-12 weeks.

Some of the major symptoms of sinus infection include:

• Loss of smell or bad breath
• Presence of postnasal drip (dripping of mucus down your throat)
• Pressure on the face or facial pain
• Runny nose with thick mucus
• Congestion or blocked nose
• Headache and sore throat
• Fever and fatigue

Can a sinus infection cause pink eyes?

So for the question ‘Can a sinus infection cause pink eye’ the shortest and proven answer is ‘yes’. Sinus infection or sinusitis can be a major cause of pink eye. One of the reasons behind this connection is your sinuses are areas that are located too close to the eyes. So whenever the sinuses are infected with bacteria or viruses, it can also spread to your eyes.

Just a simple act of touching your nose and then touching your eyes can spread the virus or bacteria easily. Another reason how sinus infection causes pink eyes is tear duct position. These are passageways that connect your eyes to the nasal cavities. So whenever you blow your nose forcefully while having sinusitis, the bacteria or virus can move upwards into the eyes and cause conjunctivitis. 

Symptoms of pink eye

Pink eyes or conjunctivitis are highly contagious conditions. Especially if they are caused by viruses and bacteria, the chances of getting spread will be higher.  But unlike this, allergic pink eyes are not contagious. Now let us discuss some of the major symptoms of pink eye.

• Reddish or pink color on one or both eyes.
• Inflammation and swelling on eyelids
• Itchiness in eyes
• Teary and watery eyes
• Yellow, white, or green colored discharge from eyes
• Irritation and burning sensation in one or both eyes
• Heightened sensitivity light or photophobia
• Constant urge to rub the eye
• Feeling like something is in the eye

How to prevent a pink eye?

Whether you have pink eyes or you are around someone else who has pink eyes, there are certain preventive measures you can take to inhibit its spreading. Here are some of such methods.

If you have pink eyes

• Wash your hands often with soap and water- To prevent the spreading of pink eye from your eyes to another person, you need to keep your hands clean with water and soap often. Make sure to wash your hands before and after applying eye drops, cleaning your eyes, etc. In case you don’t have access to water, use an alcohol-based sanitizer. 

• Make sure to keep your eyes clean, not rub or touch your eyes constantly. If your eyes have any discharge, wash it away with water. Also, clean your eyeglasses and do not contaminate shared items like hand towels.

• Wear clean contact lenses- It is better not to wear contact lenses until your symptoms are relieved. Clean the contact lenses and keep them away from other items in the house.

• Prevent spreading to others- You need to wash your sheets, pillow clothes, towels in hot water, and detergent after use. Do not share personal items and do not use spaces like swimming pools.

If you are around with people who have pink eyes

• Wash your hands or use sanitizer on your hands after coming in contact with the person who has pink eyes or touching any of their items.

• Do not share any of the items used by the person who has conjunctivitis. This includes personal belongings like eye drops, makeup essentials, towels, washcloths, eyewear, etc.

When to see a medical health professional?

In most cases, pink eyes will go away as they are on or by using some over-the-counter eye drops. But you need to see a medical health professional in case of the following symptoms:

• You have extreme pain in your eyes.
• A lot of yellow or green discharge from the eyes causes your eyelids to stick together.
• Your eyes have heightened sensitivity to light.
• You have blurred vision or vision problems.
• A severe case of eye redness.
• The condition is accompanied by fever, cold chills, face pain, and vision loss.

If your newborn baby has pink eyes, consult your doctor immediately as it can potentially harm their vision permanently.

Conclusion

Pink eye also called conjunctivitis is caused by infection or inflammation of the conjunctiva, the outer layer that covers the white part of the eyes. It can be caused by viruses, bacteria, and allergens.

Pink eye is a common condition that affects around 6 million people in the United States each year. It is characterized by symptoms of redness or pink color in one or both eyes, itching and irritation, pus discharge, blurred vision, photosensitivity of the eyes, etc. Pink eye is contagious if it is caused by a virus or bacteria.

Sinus infection or sinusitis is an infection that affects sinus areas and results in a blocked nose, postnasal drip, facial pain, etc. Sinus infection can be a cause of pink eye as the eyes and sinus areas are much closer and bacteria or viruses from the nose can travel to the eyes.

To prevent pink eye from spreading one should wash and clean their hands often with soap and water. Also, no personal items should be shared with the patient or an outsider. In case of extreme symptoms like pain, excess discharge from eyes, vision loss, etc consult a doctor immediately.

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