Conjunctivitis
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How common is conjunctivitis?

It's hard to say how many people get conjunctivitis. There hasn't been much research.

Doctors think that it's very common, because it's one of the main reasons why people go to see their doctor about their eyes. Some research in the United Kingdom has shown that between 1 in 100 and 2 in 100 people who go to see a doctor have conjunctivitis.
 
 
 
 
 
Source:
Everitta H, Little P.
How do GPs diagnose and manage acute infective conjunctivitis?
Family Practice. 2002; 19: 658-660.
 
 
 
 
 
1

About half of all cases of conjunctivitis are caused by an infection with
 
 
 
 
 
bacteria
Bacteria are tiny organisms. There are lots of different types. Some are harmful and can cause disease. But some bacteria live in your body without causing any harm.
 
 
 
 
 
bacteria.
 
 
 
 
 
Source:
Rietveld RP, ter Riet G, Bindels PJ, et al.
Predicting bacterial cause in infectious conjunctivitis: cohort study on informativeness of combinations of signs and symptoms.
BMJ. 2004; 329: 206-210.
 
 
 
 
 
2

Sources for the information on this page:
  1. Everitta H, Little P.How do GPs diagnose and manage acute infective conjunctivitis?Family Practice. 2002; 19: 658-660.
  2. Rietveld RP, ter Riet G, Bindels PJ, et al.Predicting bacterial cause in infectious conjunctivitis: cohort study on informativeness of combinations of signs and symptoms.BMJ. 2004; 329: 206-210.
This information was last updated on Dec 08, 2009
BMJ Group
This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment.
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2010. All rights reserved.
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