How To

How to Care for Pinkeye

Contributor
By eHow Contributing Writer
(12 Ratings)

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.

Difficulty: Easy
Instructions

Things You'll Need:

  • Eyewashes
  • Washcloths
  1. Step 1

    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.

  2. Step 2

    Wash your hands before touching the eye area.

  3. Step 3

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

  4. Step 4

    Use a cool compress to relieve itching.

  5. Step 5

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

  6. Step 6

    Avoid wearing contact lenses until the infection clears up.

  7. Step 7

    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  

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stormigrl said

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on 12/1/2008 P.S. I will tell you I was first informed by a Pharmacist to use "Polysporin eye drops for pink eye" and well it didn't work. I had to go to the hospital because it worked strangely for one of my eyes and it sealed my other eye shut. So bad, my left eye had green junk that sealed it shut. I was then informed I should have just used "Johnson and Johnson" baby shampoo at ER. Word of the wise. See the Doc first.

stormigrl said

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on 12/1/2008 Call it strange: But I was informed by my family doctor to apply: Johnson and Johnson Baby Shampoo to take out not only the irritant of the redness of the eye, but also the junk in your eye.
It seems like it would burn but it doesn't. If its gentle enough for your babies head, its just as gentle for your eyes.
P.S. It works. I did it 2x when I got pink eye.

Strangely enough, it can soothe a stye as well.

Note: Always use a clean cloth, better yet separate your cloth from the rest of the family (in a zip lock bag). Wash your hands at all costs and do not infect others with your pus'd eye infections.

If a child wash their hands and face with a clean cloth.

Worked for me.

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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

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

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.

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