The strange place you can get an STI that everyone can see – it causes itching, swelling and discharge

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Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) – which affect one in five Americans – are most commonly found in the genitals, anus and mouth. Now, a professional medical association is warning that another part of the body can become itchy, irritated, crusted and oozing from an STI.

“When gonorrhea infects the eyes, it can cause a form of pink eye with a large amount of pus being discharged from the eyes,” the American Academy of Ophthalmology recently said.

Like the genitals and mouth, the eyes contain mucous membranes that can be easily invaded by STIs.

Bacteria from gonorrhea and chlamydia can infect the eyes through direct contact with semen or vaginal secretions from an infected person – or a person rubbing their eyes after touching infected genital areas.

Any movement can cause conjunctivitis, also known as pink eye.

Symptoms of pink eye include redness, itching, swelling, grittiness, tearing, blurred vision, and discharge that forms a crust at night, making it difficult to open your eyes in the morning.

Pink eye is most commonly caused by an adenovirus, a respiratory virus that usually causes cold-like symptoms.

Bacteria, allergens and irritants such as chlorine in swimming pools can also cause pink eye.

Another STI eye infection is ocular syphilis, which develops when Treponema occurs pallidum bacteria enter the body, usually through sexual contact.

A small group of these cases was identified last year in Michigan – five women had a male partner.

Ocular syphilis is usually treated with penicillin, while most cases of pink eye go away on their own.

In severe cases, untreated STI eye infections can lead to corneal scarring, inflammation, impaired vision, and even permanent vision loss.

See a doctor if you have pain, sensitivity to light, vision changes, or very red eyes.