What Is Pink Eye? 5 Facts You Need To Know About Disease That Sidelined Sochi Olympics Host Bob Costas

Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics host Bob Costas has been replaced with Matt Laurer following and increasingly visible battle with 'pink eye' or conjunctivitis. “As a practical matter, I simply couldn’t do my job because my eyes had become so blurry, watery and sensitive to light,” Costas said in a NBC news release. “I’m hopeful the symptoms will improve in the next couple of days and I can return to the broadcast." This will be the first time someone other than Costas hosts the Olympics since Nagano in 1998.

1. What is Conjunctivitis? Conjunctivitis, more commonly known as 'pink eye', is a redness or inflammation of the membranes (conjunctiva) which covers the white of the eyes and the membranes on the inner part of the eyelids. These membranes get inflamed when they react to a range of different viruses, bacteria, allergies, irritants and toxic agents as welll as underlying diseases in the body. These in turn cause a variety of symptoms which cause redness around the eye.

2. What Causes Conjunctivitis? Conjunctivitis most often results from viral or bacterial infection. Adenoviruses are the type of virus that are most commonly responsible for the infection. Bacteria can also be a cause of pink eye. Staphylococci and Streptococci, among others, are types of bacteria that are most commonly cause pink eye. Pink eye can occasionally be caused from chlamydia: it is relatively uncommon in the U.S., but is fairly common in in Africa and Middle Eastern countries.

3. Who Can Get Conjunctivitis? Pink eye can affect anyone of any age, however, viral and bacterial forms of conjunctivitis are especially common among children.

4. What Are The Symptoms of Conjunctivitis? Viral conjunctivitis generally causes a yellowish, watery discharge along with redness around the eye. Bacterial infections generally result in swelling, itching, redness, a thick and yellow discharge as well as swelling of the lymph nodes.

5. How is Conjunctivitis Treated? While viral pink eye does not require antibiotics, patients should still see a doctor as it could be indicative of other issues. Bacterial pink eye is treated by repeated warm washcloths applied to the eyes and requires antibiotic eyedrops or ointment prescribed by the doctor.