How to Care for Pinkeye

By eHow Health Editor

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Conjunctivitis, or pinkeye, is an inflammation of the membrane that lines your eyeball and eyelid. It can be caused by a foreign body, an allergic reaction or a bacterial or viral infection.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Eyewashes
Washcloths

Step1

Determine if you have one or more of the following pinkeye symptoms: red, watery eyes; itching; sensitivity to light; or eye discharge that might be crusty around the eyelashes.

Step2

Wash your hands before touching the eye area.

Step3

Clean the eye area with a clean washcloth dampened with warm water.

Step4

Use a cool compress to relieve itching.

Step5

Wash any clothing, towels and bedding touched by the infected eye; bacterial and viral infections are very contagious.

Step6

Avoid wearing contact lenses until the infection clears up.

Step7

Note any yellow or greenish discharge from the eye. If this occurs or if only one eye is affected, it is more likely to be a bacterial infection than a viral infection or an allergy'consult your doctor for treatment.

Tips & Warnings

There is no over-the-counter medicine specifically for pinkeye. If the problem is caused by bacteria, you'll need to see a doctor for treatment. Viruses need to run their course. If the pinkeye is caused by an allergy, get rid of the allergen or see your doctor for allergy relief.

Comments

tiff_holmes said

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on 5/7/2007 To help make it easier to get pink eye treatment into your eye (the drops can often be very thick): Laying down, or with your head tilted back, close the affected eye. Place drops on inner corner of eye, near tear duct. When you open your eye, the drops will run in.

Anonymous said

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on 3/30/2006 As strange as this may sound, warm black coffee always does the trick. Take a napkin, fold and dip into coffee, and pass over infected eye from the inner part closest to your nose and then outward.
***VERY IMPORTANT***
Only use this napkin for one pass, or you will be spreading the infection all over again. A couple of passes of the warm coffee will remove the "gookies" and should clear up the infection much faster.

Anonymous said

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on 11/22/2005 A good tip to help a sty heal is to get a Q-tip and put milk on it, then rub it on the affected area just before you go to bed every night, until it goes away.

Anonymous said

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on 11/22/2005 I have chronic recurring pinkeye. I have a flare up every couple of months. I get most of the symptoms (itchy, watery, discharge, sensation that a foreign object is in my eye, etc.). Too much computer time can be a trigger for me. It's very helpful to put on an eye patch at the first sign of trouble. Put a cotton ball between your eye and the patch to put slight pressure on your eye to keep it shut.

Eye drops specifically for pinkeye are now available over the counter. "Similasan" can be found at most major drug chains. They about 8 bucks a bottle. They have been very helpful, particularly with the itching.

Anonymous said

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on 11/22/2005 Try washing the affected eye(s) out with baby shampoo three times a day. Wet a washcloth and put a few drops of shampoo on it--not too much, just enough to get it sudsy--then wipe the inside of the eye. Worked for me!

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