Acute viral conjunctivitis, or "pink eye," is a common, highly contagious - but not serious - infection for which home care is usually sufficient. It's spread when an infected person touches their eyes or face and then touches another person or object such as a computer mouse, doorknob, etc. If you touch this surface, then touch your eyes, you can get pink eye. Antibiotics aren't effective against pink eye caused by a virus, but they are effective against secondary bacterial infections, which sometimes develop.

Signs and Symptoms

Symptoms of pink eye can occur by themselves or with a viral upper respiratory infection:

• Redness of the white part of the eyeball

• Swollen, inflamed eyelids

• Sensitivity to light

• Itching (However, this isn't a predominant symptom with pink eye like it is with allergy-related eye inflammation.)

• Crusting or matting together of the eyelids especially when you wake up

• Swollen lymph node(s) in front of your ear(s)

Self-Care

• Wash your hands frequently to keep from spreading the infection.

• Wear glasses, not contacts, until all symptoms go away. If you wear disposable contacts, discard your current pair. For all other contacts, clean them thoroughly following manufacturer's instructions.

• Put a washcloth soaked in warm water on your eyes if matted or if eye discharge is significant. Don't re-use the cloth or put it where someone else might use it.

• Don't use eye makeup while you have symptoms, and discard any eye makeup you used shortly before your symptoms began.

• Irrigate your eyes frequently with a non-prescription artificial tear solution. Avoid eye drops that contain decongestants.

Red Flags

CALL YOUR DOCTOR IF YOU EXPERIENCE ANY OF THE FOLLOWING:

• You think you might have a foreign body in your eye

• Eye pain or light sensitivity so significant that you can't open your eyes well enough to read or drive

• Pain when you blink

• Thick, opaque, green or yellow discharge

• Eye inflammation that is mainly around the circumference of the colored part (iris) rather than the white part (conjunctiva) of your eyeball

• Call at the first signs of eye inflammation if you have a history of either iritis or a serious viral eye infection (especially if caused by a herpes virus).

Courtesy of University Health Services, The University of Texas at Austin.
Published by the University of Texas at Austin University Health Services.
This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information is intended to inform and educate and is not a replacement for medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.
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