4. Conjunctivitis (Pinkeye)
This inflammatory disease comes from both bacterial and viral infections. The condition affects the conjunctiva, the thin lining that covers and lubricates the eyeball. In severe cases of conjunctivitis, the eye becomes gunky, and the white part of the eye turns red.
Other symptoms of conjunctivitis include an intense itching sensation in the eye, blurred vision and a droopy eyelid, as well as the production of pus and mucus from the eye. The disease is highly contagious, and outbreaks in nursery schools are frequent, with all of the kids becoming infected at a rapid pace. The children then infect their parents who pass the disease onto other members of the community.
Treatment for conjunctivitis may include the use of anti-bacterial and antibiotic eye drops to clear the infection. There is some medical speculation that suggests Bell’s palsy may reduce the function of the eyelids, and removal of bacteria from the eyes due to muscular dysfunction. This muscular dysfunction could lead to a higher chance of infection of the conjunctiva.