Antibiotics do not work on viral conjunctivitis, just as they do not work for other viral infections in your body—such as a cold. This type of pink eye will clear up on its own, but you should still see an eye doctor to confirm that there are no underlying issues.
Even though viral conjunctivitis will heal without medicine, it may take several weeks to see full relief from the symptoms. You may also experience conjunctivitis in both eyes because viral pink eye is very contagious. Bacteria may get into your eyes from anywhere—your hands, unclean contact lenses , or from everyday interactions with others. If your eye doctor has tested and found a bacterial infection, they will prescribe an antibiotic eye drop as treatment.
This type of conjunctivitis is also very contagious and spread easily among children. Unlike viral conjunctivitis, this type of pink eye will not clear up on its own and may cause vision problems if not treated.
Although allergy-based pink eye is not contagious, symptoms may ebb and flow based on the seasonality of your environment. Allergy medication, including eye drops, will help to alleviate symptoms and clear up this type of pink eye. Irritants like chemicals, pollutants, and foreign objects can also cause conjunctivitis.
Usually, once the irritant is no longer present and the eye has had time to heal, conjunctivitis will clear up on its own. You may find that swimming in a chlorinated pool or dealing with cleaning chemicals can cause mild conjunctivitis. If you have reoccurring conjunctivitis symptoms from a particular chemical or environment, try removing it from your daily activities.
Bacterial pink eye will clear up within a few days once you receive antibiotic eye drops, but viral pink eye can last up to two weeks. Minus Related Pages. Viral Conjunctivitis Most cases of viral conjunctivitis are mild. Bacterial Conjunctivitis. Top of Page. Prevention and Treatment of Conjunctivitis in Newborns.
Related Links. Links with this icon indicate that you are leaving the CDC website. Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offer the following guidelines for washing :. Also, if you think you or someone you know has pink eye, make sure to keep your hands away.
If you do touch it, wash your hands thoroughly to help keep it from spreading. Think you might have pink eye and want to get it checked out? A Banner Urgent Care clinic can help. Find one near you, find wait times and reserve a spot in line by visiting: urgentcare. By Jason Webb. Mar 19, Better Me. Pink eye symptoms Regardless of the type of pink eye you get—bacterial, viral or allergic—the symptoms are going to be similar.
Pink eye treatment Both the viral and the bacterial forms of pink eye are highly contagious. Pro tip: Have an eye crusted shut? Wet a washcloth with warm water and gently wipe the affected eye until you can open it normally.
A culture may be needed if your symptoms are severe or if your doctor suspects a high-risk cause, such as a foreign body in your eye, a serious bacterial infection or a sexually transmitted infection. Pink eye treatment is usually focused on symptom relief. Your doctor may recommend using artificial tears, cleaning your eyelids with a wet cloth, and applying cold or warm compresses several times daily.
If you wear contact lenses, you'll be advised to stop wearing them until treatment is complete. Your doctor will likely recommend that you throw out contacts you've worn if your lenses are disposable. Disinfect hard lenses overnight before you reuse them.
Ask your doctor if you should discard and replace your contact lens accessories, such as the lens case used before or during the illness. Also replace any eye makeup used before your illness. In most cases, you won't need antibiotic eyedrops.
Since conjunctivitis is usually viral, antibiotics won't help, and may even cause harm by reducing their effectiveness in the future or causing a medication reaction.
Instead, the virus needs time to run its course — up to two or three weeks. Viral conjunctivitis often begins in one eye and then infects the other eye within a few days. Your signs and symptoms should gradually clear on their own.
Antiviral medications may be an option if your doctor determines that your viral conjunctivitis is caused by the herpes simplex virus. If the irritation is allergic conjunctivitis, your doctor may prescribe one of many different types of eyedrops for people with allergies.
These may include medications that help control allergic reactions, such as antihistamines and mast cell stabilizers, or drugs that help control inflammation, such as decongestants, steroids and anti-inflammatory drops.
Over-the-counter eyedrops that contain antihistamines and anti-inflammatory medications also may be effective.
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