What are the treatment options for conjunctivitis (pink eye)?

Conjunctivitis is often caused by germs. To prevent them from infecting the other, healthy eye or from passing on to other people, you should pay attention to good hygiene. But it is also important if an allergy is the cause. Then you can also keep the germs from getting into the other eye and possibly making the inflammation worse.

Paying attention to hygiene means:

• Regularly washing your hands thoroughly with soap – and again whenever you have touched your face and may have touched the inflamed eye.
• Only use your own towels and don't share them with others.
• If you usually wear contact lenses, it's better to wear glasses while you still have conjunctivitis. That puts less strain on your eyes and minimizes direct contact. Reusable lenses that you have already had in your eye should be cleaned especially carefully. The same is true for contact lens cases. This can prevent you from getting conjunctivitis again.

Conjunctivitis makes your eyes red and watery. Sometimes they also burn, hurt or itch. Various medications and other measures can also be tried out to relieve these symptoms: Some people use cool compresses to reduce the pain. Others prefer compresses that have a warming effect. Eye drops to add moisture to your eyes can also have a soothing effect.

There is hardly any research on whether these kinds of things can help the healing process, though.

Medication in the form of eye drops or creams can be used to treat conjunctivitis. The cause of the inflammation will determine whether it is useful and which kind is needed. So you should get advice from a doctor on that before using any drops or creams.

Eye drops with allergy medication like antihistamines can be used if the cause is an allergy.

If bacteria are causing the conjunctivitis, then antibiotic eye drops or creams can be used. Studies have shown that these can help speed up recovery from uncomplicated conjunctivitis somewhat, compared to drops and creams that don't have any antibiotics.

• Without antibiotics, the infection cleared up within four to nine days in about 48 out of 100 people.
• With antibiotics, the infection cleared up within four to nine days in about 61 out of 100 people.

In these studies, the medicine caused mild side effects like eye irritation or headaches in only a few people. No serious side effects were observed.

Antibiotics do not help if bacteria are the cause. Then, only the symptoms of conjunctivitis can be treated.