Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentPrevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prevention
Giant papillary conjunctivitis, commonly referred to as GPC, is a condition in which the inner lining of theeyelid(known as the palpebralconjunctiva) becomes inflamed and develops small bumps. These small bumps—known aspapillae—often form in response to wearing contact lenses or other chronic irritation.
In GPC, the bumps grow and combine, forming very large bumps that sometimes resemble a cobblestone appearance. Giant papillary conjunctivitis symptoms includered eyes, whitish discharge, light sensitivity, and eye itching that is worse when you removecontact lenses.
This article presents GPC symptoms and common causes of giant papillary conjunctivitis. It explains how GPC is diagnosed and treated, as well as steps you can try to prevent it.
Papillary Conjunctivitis Symptoms
Giant papillary conjunctivitis sometimes resembles othereye allergiesin appearance. The main symptom of GPC is itchy, irritated eyes. Some people may notice an increase in symptoms during the spring and summer months.
What Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis Feels LikeLook out for the following signs and symptoms:Itchy eyesIncreasedmucusproductionDesire to remove contact lenses earlier in the dayGritty, foreign body sensation upon removal of contact lenses
What Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis Feels Like
Look out for the following signs and symptoms:Itchy eyesIncreasedmucusproductionDesire to remove contact lenses earlier in the dayGritty, foreign body sensation upon removal of contact lenses
Look out for the following signs and symptoms:
In addition to the symptoms above, you may also notice that your contacts tend to move around a lot or don’t fit as perfectly as they used to.
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Causes of Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis
Risk Factors
Not following proper cleaning and disinfection routines or over-wearing contact lenses can increase the risk of GPC.
Conditions that can lead to greater risk of giant papillary conjunctivitis:
Diagnosing Papillary Conjunctivitis
Your eye doctor will take a careful medical history and listen to your complaints. They will then observe your eyes and contact lenses under aslit lamp, a special upright microscope.
Your eye doctor will flip your upper eyelid outward so that theconjunctiva, the inner lining of the eyelid, can be easily seen (this is painless). They may also use a yellow dye to temporarily stain the surface eye tissue to aid in making a diagnosis.
What Causes a Bump on the Eyeball?
Papillary Conjunctivitis Treatment
The best solution for GPC is to get rid of whatever is causing the irritation.Your eye doctor will ask you to discontinue wearing contact lenses, at least temporarily. While contact lens wearers are generally not very happy to hear this, it does speed healing.
How Long Does It Take for GPC to Go Away?It may only take a few weeks or as long as six to eight months of not wearing contact lenses for the condition to completely resolve. Giant papillary conjunctiva may go away on its own, but some cases require treatment and steps to prevent cases from happening again.
How Long Does It Take for GPC to Go Away?
It may only take a few weeks or as long as six to eight months of not wearing contact lenses for the condition to completely resolve. Giant papillary conjunctiva may go away on its own, but some cases require treatment and steps to prevent cases from happening again.
Your eye doctor may prescribe steroid eye drops to lessen the inflammation. Steroids work very well for most people who have GPC.If your eye doctor prescribes topical steroid drops, be sure to follow specific instructions. Note that steroids can cause high pressure which can lead toglaucomaand vision loss.
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Preventing Giant Papillary Conjunctiva
There are specific changes you can make to help the bumps go away and prevent recurrence.
Find a New Cleaning Solution
You may be asked to switch to a different disinfecting and cleaning solution. Peroxide-based cleaning solutions are slightly more complicated to use, but do a much better job of killing bacteria and viruses and removing debris that can cause irritation.
The 7 Best Contact Lens Solutions for All-Day Comfort, Tested and Reviewed
Try a New Contact Lens
Changing from conventional or monthlydisposable contact lensesto daily disposables often helps considerably. When you wear a brand new lens every day, your lens does not have much of a chance to build up proteins that you have become allergic to.
Use Eye Drops
A combination of mast cell stabilizer/antihistamine eye drop can often help considerably, and they are safe for most people to use every day.
Summary
Giant papillary conjunctivitis occurs due to inflammation of the inner eyelid. The small bumps and other symptoms of GPC typically occur due to contact lens use. An eye doctor can diagnose and treat GPC, while offering advice on prevention.
Proper contact lens hygiene and wearing habits are very important to lower the risk of developing giant papillary conjunctivitis. Numerous studies have shown that the frequency of lens replacement correlates closely to the development of GPC.
What Is a Stye on the Eyelid?
3 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Academy of Ophthalmology.Giant papillary conjunctivitis.Yeung KK.Giant papillary conjunctivitis.Azari AA, Arabi A.Conjunctivitis: A Systematic Review.J Ophthalmic Vis Res. 2020 Aug 6;15(3):372-395. doi: 10.18502/jovr.v15i3.7456.
3 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Academy of Ophthalmology.Giant papillary conjunctivitis.Yeung KK.Giant papillary conjunctivitis.Azari AA, Arabi A.Conjunctivitis: A Systematic Review.J Ophthalmic Vis Res. 2020 Aug 6;15(3):372-395. doi: 10.18502/jovr.v15i3.7456.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Academy of Ophthalmology.Giant papillary conjunctivitis.Yeung KK.Giant papillary conjunctivitis.Azari AA, Arabi A.Conjunctivitis: A Systematic Review.J Ophthalmic Vis Res. 2020 Aug 6;15(3):372-395. doi: 10.18502/jovr.v15i3.7456.
American Academy of Ophthalmology.Giant papillary conjunctivitis.
Yeung KK.Giant papillary conjunctivitis.
Azari AA, Arabi A.Conjunctivitis: A Systematic Review.J Ophthalmic Vis Res. 2020 Aug 6;15(3):372-395. doi: 10.18502/jovr.v15i3.7456.
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