Granular conjunctivitis: what it means

The inner eyelid may look rough, bumpy, or grainy when the conjunctiva is inflamed. Viral infection, bacterial infection, allergy, contact-lens irritation, or a foreign body can produce overlapping symptoms. Redness, watering, itching, sticky eye discharge, soreness, and light sensitivity help a clinician narrow the possibilities. Appearance alone cannot identify the cause.

Conjunctivitis can spread through hands, towels, cosmetics, or shared eye products, particularly when infection is involved. Avoid touching or rubbing the eyes, and wash hands after cleaning discharge. Contact-lens wearers should remove lenses and arrange advice rather than continuing to wear them.

Gently clean the eyelids with clean water and a fresh pad for each eye. A cool compress may ease irritation; avoid sharing towels, eye makeup, or drops. A clinician may recommend antibiotic treatment when bacterial infection is suspected, but antibiotics do not treat every cause. A GP consultation is useful when symptoms are troublesome, recur, or do not settle.

Seek urgent medical help for significant eye pain, marked light sensitivity, reduced or blurred vision, a swollen eye, injury, chemical exposure, or symptoms in a contact-lens wearer. Prompt assessment is also needed if redness is severe, discharge is heavy, or a baby has a red or sticky eye.

Ask whether the bumps look like follicles or another eyelid change, whether infection or allergy is more likely, which drops are suitable, and how long to avoid contact lenses or shared eye products.