How to Deal With Pink Eye

Pink eye, also known as conjunctivitis, is an infection of the eye that can be caused by viruses or bacteria. While it can be infectious or non-infectious, most pink eye is treated as if it is contagious. Since pink eye can make your eyes itchy and irritated, you need to take special care to deal with this condition. Follow these tips to deal with pink eye.

Instructions

1. Apply warm compresses to the affected eyes to help soothe the area. Soak any washcloth in warm water and wring it out to make a compress. Be sure to keep your eyes closed when you apply the compress.

2. Administer antibiotic ointment or eye drops if they have been prescribed by your doctor. This helps heal the pink eye and also helps alleviate the itchiness.

3. Distract yourself so that you do not rub your eyes. Rubbing your eyes can aggravate pink eye.

4. Open the windows. Fresh air is helpful to alleviate pink eye that is caused by allergies or irritants in the air.

5. Keep tissues nearby to dab your eyes. Pink eye can cause your eyes to tear up more easily.

Tips & Warnings

• Artificial tears can sometimes be helpful to flush and soothe the affected eyes.

• If your condition worsens or does not improve with recommended treatment, contact your health care provider.

• If you are a contact lens wearer, avoid putting your lenses in while you are treating pink eye. Using contacts while you have pink eye can prevent the conjunctivitis from healing completely or can cause the eyes to become re-infected.