Pink Eye (Conjunctivitis)

Pink eye is the most obvious symptom of conjunctivitis, which involves inflammation of the clear membrane covering the white part of the eye and interior lining of the eyelids. Pink eye can refer to all types of conjunctivitis, or just to its contagious forms.

The pink or red color of an infected or irritated eye is due to inflammation. Conjunctivitis may also cause your eye to hurt or itch.

How can you tell what type of pink eye you have? The way your eyes feel will provide some clues:

Rebates and Coupons for the Products in This Section

• Viral conjunctivitis usually affects only one eye and causes excessive eye watering and a light discharge.
   
• Bacterial conjunctivitis affects both eyes and causes a heavy discharge, sometimes greenish.
   
• Allergic conjunctivitis affects both eyes and causes itching and redness in the eyes and sometimes the nose, as well as excessive tearing.
   
• Giant papillary conjunctivitis (GPC) usually affects both eyes and causes contact lens intolerance, itching, a heavy discharge, tearing and red bumps on the underside of the eyelids.

Conjunctival inflammation gives the eye a reddish tinge commonly known as pink eye.

[Read more about types of conjunctivitis.]

To pinpoint the cause and then choose an appropriate treatment, your eye doctor will ask some questions, examine your eyes and possibly collect a sample on a swab to send out for analysis. Give a careful account of the episode, because often your answers alone will reveal the diagnosis.

Pink eye may be triggered by a virus, bacteria, an allergic reaction (to dust, pollen, smoke, fumes or chemicals) or, in the case of giant papillary conjunctivitis, a foreign body on the eye, typically a contact lens. Bacterial and viral infections elsewhere in the body may also may induce conjunctivitis.

Avoidance. Your first line of defense is to avoid the cause of conjunctivitis, such as contaminated hand towels. Both viral and bacterial conjunctivitis, which can be caused by airborne sources, spread easily to others. [Read more about how to prevent contagious pinkeye and re-infection.]

To avoid allergic conjunctivitis, keep windows and doors closed on days when the airborne pollen count is high. Dust and vacuum frequently to eliminate potential allergens in the home.

Stay in well-ventilated areas if you're exposed to smoke, chemicals or fumes. If you do experience exposure to these substances, cold compresses can be very soothing.

If you've developed giant papillary conjunctivitis, odds are that you're a contact lens wearer. You'll need to stop wearing your contact lenses, at least for a little while. Your eye doctor may also recommend that you switch to a different type of contact lens, to reduce the chance of the conjunctivitis coming back.
 

For example, you might need to go from soft contacts to gas permeable ones or vice versa. Or you might need to switch to a type of lens that you replace more frequently, such as from conventional contact lenses to daily disposable ones. GPC can also result from prosthetic contact lenses, stitches and more. Your eye doctor will decide if removal is appropriate.

Medication. Unless there's some special reason to do so, eye doctors don't normally prescribe medication for viral conjunctivitis, because it usually clears up on its own within a few days. Your eye doctor might prescribe an astringent to keep your eyes clean, to prevent a bacterial infection from starting. Another common prescription is for artificial tears, to relieve dryness and discomfort.

Antibiotic eyedrops or ointments will alleviate most forms of bacterial conjunctivitis, while antibiotic tablets are used for certain infections that originate elsewhere in the body.

Antihistamine allergy pills or eyedrops will help control allergic conjunctivitis symptoms. In addition, artificial tears provide comfort, but they also protect the eye's surface from allergens and dilute the allergens that are present in the tear film.

For giant papillary conjunctivitis, your doctor may prescribe eyedrops to reduce inflammation and itching.

Warm compresses may help soothe your eyes if you have viral or bacterial conjunctivitis.

Usually conjunctivitis is a minor eye infection, but sometimes it can develop into a more serious condition. See your eye doctor for a diagnosis before using any eyedrops in your medicine cabinet from previous infections or eye problems.