Quick Home Remedies for Pink Eye

How long does pink eye last?

Most pink eye (also known as conjunctivitis) will go away on its own in a week or two. You can make that time more comfortable by trying the remedies described below.

Should I call my doctor about pink eye?

Sometimes you need to see a doctor for pink eye. It depends on what kind of pink eye you have and how bad it is. See your ophthalmologist right away if:

• You're in pain or are having trouble seeing
• You become sensitive to light
• Your symptoms have continued for a week or more, or are getting worse
• Your eye is producing a lot of pus or mucus
• You have any other symptoms of an infection, like fever or achiness

Pink eye is a common cause of school absences and can spread quickly in schools. Make sure your kids know how to keep from getting pink eye and other infections.

What gets rid of pink eye fast?

In your rush to get rid of pink eye as quickly as possible, be cautious about trying unproven remedies from untrustworthy sources around the internet. Here are the safest and most effective steps to take:

• Stop wearing contact lenses. Use a new pair when you go back to wearing your contacts. Your old contacts are likely infected and could get you sick again if you wear them again.
• Stop wearing eye makeup. Throw out your old eye makeup and get new makeup once your eyes are healthy.
• Home remedies like the ones described below can often ease the symptoms of pink eye.

Bacterial and viral pinkeye home remedies

If one or both of your eyes are red and uncomfortable, it could be allergic pink eye, viral pink eye or bacterial pink eye. Sometimes it's easy to figure out what kind of pink eye you have and other times only a doctor can tell what's causing the problem.

• Viral pinkeye is like a common cold in the eye. There is no treatment for the virus and usually you just have to let it heal on its own. Viral pink eye should go away within a week or two without treatment.
• Bacterial pinkeye usually produces more mucus or pus than viral or allergic pink eye. Bacterial pink eye can be treated with antibiotics prescribed by a doctor.

To reduce the symptoms of bacterial or viral pink eye you can:

• Take ibuprofen or another over-the-counter pain killer.
• Use over-the-counter lubricating eye drops (artificial tears).
• Put a warm, damp washcloth over your eyes for a few minutes. To make this warm compress:
• Soak a clean washcloth in warm water then wring it out so it’s not dripping.
• Lay the damp cloth over your eyes and leave it in place until it cools.
• Repeat this several times a day, or as often as is comfortable.
• Use a clean washcloth each time so you don't spread the infection.
• Use a different washcloth for each eye if you have infectious pink eye in both eyes.

If your eyelids are sticking together, a warm washcloth can loosen the dried mucus so you can open your eyes.

Allergic pinkeye home remedies

If your conjunctivitis is caused by allergies, stopping the source of the allergy is important. Allergic pink eye will continue as long as you're in contact with whatever is causing it.

Allergic pink eye is not contagious. You can still go to work or school with allergic conjunctivitis and no one else will catch it. To reduce the symptoms of allergic pink eye you can:

• Take allergy medicine or use allergy eye drops.
• Put a cool, damp washcloth over your eyes for a few minutes.
• Use over-the-counter lubricating eye drops (artificial tears).

Video: How to Insert Eyedrops

Can Visine be used for pink eye?

No! Whatever kind of pink eye you have, don't use red-reducing eye drops, like Visine. These kinds of eye drops may be very uncomfortable if you have an infection. They also could make your symptoms worse.

Viral and bacterial pink eye can spread very easily—as easily as the common cold. If you have an infection in just one eye, be careful not to spread it to the other eye. And be careful not to spread the infection in public, either.

Pink eye is highly contagious. Here's how to avoid spreading it

Basic hygiene is enough to keep from spreading the infection to other people or your other eye.

• Change pillowcases and sheets every day.
• Use a fresh towel every day.
• Wash your hands often, especially after you touch your eyes.
• Don't wear your contact lenses until your eyes are back to normal.
• Don't share anything that touches your eyes.

Can I use breast milk for pink eye?

Breastmilk could be more harmful than helpful for pink eye. One of the few studies on whether breast milk can fight infections found that it didn't cure the most common causes of pink eye — and worse, breastmilk can introduce new bacteria into the eye and cause serious infection.

Eye infections in young children can be very serious—even blinding. Don't delay seeing a doctor and don't rely only on folk remedies.

There is lots of bad advice about pink eye on the internet. Never put anything in your eye that isn't approved by a doctor. Foods and herbal extracts are not sterile and can make eye conditions much worse. Bloggers who recommend breast milk for pink eye say that substances in breast milk can cure infection and soothe inflammation. But there is no evidence that this helps. 

Measles and pink eye

Because measles is making a comeback among unvaccinated children, it's important to know that pink eye can be a symptom of measles. Pink eye can show up before a measles rash or at the same time. Ask these questions about whether pink eye may be a sign of measles:

1. Is there a reported outbreak of measles in the area?
2. Has the child been vaccinated for measles? If so, then measles conjunctivitis is very unlikely.
3. Are there other measles symptoms, like a red, blotchy rash or a high fever (above 104 degrees Farenheit/40 Celsius)? Note that other kinds of pink eye can also cause fever, especially in children. So a mild fever, or fever by itself, isn't necessarily a sign of measles.
4. Is the child sensitive to regular, indoor light? Light-sensitivity is more likely to be a sign of measles-related pink eye. Sensitivity to indoor light is always a sign of a serious eye condition, usually involving sight-threatening damage to the cornea. You should see an ophthalmologist, not just a primary care doctor or pediatrician.

If you think you or a loved one may have measles-related pink eye, see an ophthalmologist right away and make sure they report it to local health authorities. In some cases, measles can damage the cornea, retina or optic nerve and result in vision loss or blindness.