Conjunctivitis is an eye condition caused by infection or allergies. It usually gets better in a couple of weeks without treatment.
Conjunctivitis is also known as red or pink eye.
It usually affects both eyes and makes them:
- red
- burn or feel gritty
- produce pus that sticks to lashes
- itch
- water
If you're not sure it's conjunctivitis
Find out about other conditions that can cause red eyes
There are things you can do to help ease your symptoms.
- Boil water and let it cool down before you gently wipe your eyelashes to clean off crusts with a clean cotton wool pad (1 piece for each eye).
- Hold a cold flannel on your eyes for a few minutes to cool them down.
Do not wear contact lenses until your eyes are better.
A pharmacist can help with conjunctivitis
Speak to a pharmacist about conjunctivitis. They can give you advice and suggest eyedrops or antihistamines to help with your symptoms.
If you need treatment for a child under 2, you'll need a prescription from a GP.
There are things you can do to stop conjunctivitis spreading to other people.
See a GP if:
- your baby has red eyes – get an urgent appointment if your baby is less than 28 days old
- you wear contact lenses and have conjunctivitis symptoms as well as spots on your eyelids – you might be allergic to the lenses
- you have conjunctivitis and your symptoms have not cleared up after 2 weeks
Ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 if you have:
- pain in your eyes
- sensitivity to light
- changes in your vision, like wavy lines or flashing
- very red eyes (1 eye or both eyes)
- a baby less than 28 days old with red eyes
These can be signs of a more serious eye problem.
You can call 111 or get help from 111 online.
Treatment will depend on the cause of your conjunctivitis.
If it's a bacterial infection, you might be prescribed antibiotics. But these will not work if it's caused by a virus (viral conjunctivitis) or an allergy.
Some sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can cause conjunctivitis. This type takes longer to get better.