What is Eye swab for Culture Sensitivity - Aerobic?

The conjunctival swab is a lab test performed for a patient suffering from conjunctivitis also known as pink eye. Conjunctivitis is the inflammation of the conjunctiva; a thin clear tissue lying between the white part of the eye and inside of the eyelid. Conjunctivitis can be caused due to various reasons for bacteria, viruses, allergies, and excessive use of contact lenses. Conjunctivitis caused due to bacteria is usually seen in children and elderly people. Infection caused due to both bacteria and viruses is contagious but can be treated easily and is not fatal. Symptoms of conjunctivitis include excessive tears, thick yellow discharge forming a crust around the eyes especially after a nap, itchy and burning eyes.

Preparation

No special preparation is required for this test. The patient is advised not to use any contact lenses till the infection does not clear up. Avoid rubbing the eyes constantly instead gently dab a thin cloth on the eyes for temporary relief. Use separate hand towels for yourself in order to avoid spreading the infection to others. Try to cover your eyes with sunglasses so as to avoid eye contact with others as the infection can be contagious.

Uses

The test will analyze the type of infection from the following: Bacterial: Conjunctivitis caused by bacteria can be cured with help of eye drops, ointments, and pills as per prescription. The infection goes away in a week’s time. Viruses: Conjunctivitis caused by viruses are usually due to the common cold. Hence this infection also goes away in four to seven days. If the infection is caused due to make-up proper care should be taken as it might damage the cornea. Allergies: Conjunctivitis caused due to allergy improve once the allergy is treated and the allergen is removed.

Procedure

The doctor will first clean the skin around the eyes with sterile saline and collect a small amount of specimen from the infected area with a gauze.