Eye drops for pink eye include both over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medication.
Prescriptions may be antiviral or antibiotic eye drops, depending on the underlying cause.
Pink eye, otherwise calledconjunctivitis, is a common condition.
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Conjunctivitis involves inflammation of theconjunctiva(the membrane that covers the white portion of the eye).
The conjunctiva provides lubrication to the eye’s surface.
It has many blood vessels that can become inflamed, giving the eye its distinct pink orred color.
The body can fight off pink eye on its own.
However, a healthcare provider can determine whether you might have a treatable form of pink eye.
Visiting a healthcare provider is the only way to know for sure which key in you have.
A healthcare provider may be able to tell based on your history and symptoms and by conductingeye exams.
Even then it can be difficult to distinguish between these.
Bacterial conjunctivitis can resolve without treatment, or it may be treated with antibiotic eye drops.
They treat only pink eye because of bacteria.
Antibiotic treatment may involve eye drops or an ointment.
It can also cause a watery discharge that may last up to a couple of weeks.
This form of pink eye is usually mild and goes away within about a week or two without treatment.
However, sometimes it may take longer to clear up.
Antiviral medication may be used to treat more serious forms of pink eye.
Serious forms can include pink eye because of theherpes simplex virusorvaricella-zoster virus.
Antibiotic eye drops won’t help cure viral pink eye because they are not effective against viruses.
The key to treating allergic pink eye is to remove the allergen from the environment.
Aside from allergy medications, certain eye drops can provide relief.
These include topicalantihistamine, vasoconstrictors (decongestants), and some prescription eye drops.
Place this on your closed eyelids until it cools down.
This can soothe eyes and help loosen any dried mucus that may make your eyelids stick together.
Repeat as often as you need but with a clean washcloth each time.
The conjunctival membrane can appear red and inflamed as blood vessels swell.
Also, mucus can collect in the eye.
More serious cases of bacterial conjunctivitis can be treated with antibiotic drops and ointments.
Bacterial and viral pink eye is very contagious.
American Optometric Association.Conjunctivitis (pink eye).
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.How to treat pink eye.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Clinical overview of pink eye (conjunctivitis).
American Academy of Ophthalmology.Pink eye: quick home remedies.
