If you have a minor eye infection, you may try to treat your symptoms at home rather than see an eye doctor for care. Even minor eye infections can become huge problems if you don't treat them properly. An eye doctor, or ophthalmologist, won't only tell you why you have an infection, they'll provide the right treatments for it. Learn why you should see an eye doctor for your eye infection soon.

Diagnose the Cause of Your Eye Infection

Your eyes are some of the most delicate organs in your body. Because the eyes are delicate, they can experience a number of minor and serious problems over time, including infections. Eye infections can be dangerous if you don't treat them effectively.

Many things cause eye infections, including foreign objects and germs. Foreign objects, such as particles of dust and grit, can enter the soft tissues of your eyelids, corneas, and eyeball. Viruses, germs, and other pathogens can also invade and infect the eyes. These things can scratch, bruise, and even destroy the tissues in your eyes.

If you see an ophthalmologist, they can run tests on your eyes. The test may show:

• where the infection is in your eyes
• how in-depth or severe the infection is in your eyes
• what type of infection is in your eyes

Once a doctor knows more about your eye infection, they can treat it.

Treat Your Eye Infection

Eye doctors use a variety of methods to treat infectious eye conditions, including topical ointments, antibiotics, and antiviral drugs. The medications can do one or all of the following things:

• ease the symptoms of your infection
• decrease the healing time of your infection
• slow the spread of the infection in your eyes

If your infection comes from something else you're currently experiencing, such as a cold or virus, an ophthalmologist may refer you to a regular doctor for care as well. A regular physician may need a referral from an eye doctor before they treat you.

If the infection in your eyes is severe enough to affect the deepest tissues in your eyes, an ophthalmologist may consider other treatments for you. Some of the things that cause eye infections can damage the surface of the eye, including keratitis and endophthalmitis. Endophthalmitis, for example, infects the fluids in your eyes. The condition can cause blurred vision, severe pain, vision loss, and many other symptoms if it goes untreated. 

Don't wait to see an eye doctor about your infection. Seek the treatments you need by calling or emailing an ophthalmologist today.

For more information, reach out to an ophthalmology service in your area.