Self-Care Pocket Guide • Cold, Allergies, and Such
Pink Eye

Overview

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 virally-caused pink eye unless a secondary bacterial infection develops.

Signs and Symptoms

The following symptoms can exist either 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 as 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 Measures

• Wash your hands frequently to keep from spreading your infection.
• Wear glasses, not contacts, until all symptoms go away. If you wear disposable contacts, discard your current pair. For all other contacts, cleanse 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 eye makeup used shortly before your symptoms began.
• Irrigate your eyes frequently with an OTC artificial tear solution. It's best to avoid eye drops that contain decongestants.

Red Flags

CALL THE UHS 24-HOUR NURSE ADVICE LINE 475-NURS (475-6877) IF ANY OF THE FOLLOWING OCCURS:

• A possibility that you 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) versus 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).