In some cases, drops that reduce redness may make pink eye symptoms worse.
How to get rid of pink eye at home
Pink eye, or conjunctivitis, is an eye condition that causes the eye to become pink and irritated. The symptoms often resolve without treatment, but home remedies — such as cool compresses — can help ease them.
Pink eye is a term for the inflammation of the conjuctiva, the membrane that covers the eye and lines the inside of the eyelids.
Pink eye typically gets better when the cause is no longer applicable, meaning that the infection has gone or the allergic reaction has stopped. In the meantime, cool compresses, proper eye hygiene, eye drops, and over-the-counter (OTC) medications may help reduce discomfort.
This article discusses five quick and easy home remedies for pink eye. It also looks at ways to stop it from spreading and explains when a person should seek medical help.
Pink eye causes inflammation around the eye. This can be irritating, and at times, it might be painful. A cool compress may help reduce inflammation and soothe these symptoms.
A person can make a cool compress by soaking a clean washcloth or hand towel in cold water and wringing out any excess water. They can then hold the cloth over the affected eye for a few minutes.
If an infection is the cause of pink eye, it is important not to reuse the washcloth. Doing so may spread the infection to the other eye or to other household members. Instead, a person should use a clean washcloth for each compress and launder used washcloths in hot water.
People with bacterial pink eye might find that thick discharge, or pus, leaks from the eye. Pus dries quickly, forming a crust along the edges of the eyelids. This crust may cause difficulty opening the eye, especially first thing in the morning.
People can try using a warm, damp cloth to remove pus from the eye and lashes. They may also find that a warm shower helps remove the dry crust.
People can use artificial tears to soothe irritation or burning in the eye. Artificial tears are a type of eye drop that people can buy OTC.
Eye drops may be especially helpful when a person has pink eye due to allergies because they can help clean the eye and remove traces of the allergen.
Some OTC medications may help relieve the pain of pink eye, but they will not cure it.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, may help with inflammation. Allergy medication may also relieve the symptoms of allergic pink eye. These medications include :
- allergy eye drops
- oral antihistamines
- mast cell inhibitors
It is important for a person to remember that they may still have an infection, even if the symptoms improve.
Certain types of pink eye, such as bacterial or viral pink eye, are very contagious. Touching the eye can spread the infection to the other eye or to other people. It may also exacerbate the symptoms.
If a person needs to touch their eyes, such as when they are cleaning them, they should wash their hands thoroughly before and afterward. It is important not to reuse any tissues, washcloths, or towels that have been in contact with the affected eye. A person should also avoid wearing contact lenses or eye makeup until the symptoms have gone.
As pink eye has multiple possible causes, it also has several treatment options. The three primary causes of pink eye are:
- viruses
- bacteria
- allergens, such as pollen or pet dander
Bacterial pink eye is relatively easy to diagnose because the eye it affects often produces thick pus. In contrast, the discharge from viral and allergic pink eye looks more like water.
Viral infections usually clear up without treatment within 1–3 weeks . Sometimes , a herpes infection causes pink eye. A person should speak with a doctor if this happens, as they will need antiviral medication to prevent complications.
Bacterial infections may improve within 2–5 days without treatment, although antibiotic eye drops can speed up the recovery. Antibiotics will not help with any other type of pink eye.
In cases of allergic pink eye, the symptoms will improve once the person no longer has exposure to the allergen.
Some people believe that certain home remedies can cure pink eye. However, pink eye often gets better on its own. Therefore, while it may seem as though a home remedy cured pink eye, the condition likely improved without it.
Home remedies and alternative treatments can also have risks. They may make things worse by spreading the infection, introducing harmful substances to the eye, or delaying necessary medical care.
There is no scientific evidence to support the use of the following to treat pink eye:
- breast milk
- urine
- eye redness drops, such as Visine
In some cases, drops that reduce redness may make pink eye symptoms worse.
Home Remedies for Pink Eye Relief
We’ve all been there. One night, you fall asleep and your eyes look and feel fine. The next morning, you wake up with an eye that’s inflamed, red and painful.
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Chances are good you have conjunctivitis. Otherwise known as pink eye, this condition can be caused by allergens, like pollen and hay. In other cases, it’s caused by a virus or bacteria.
“Viral pink eye typically comes from cold symptoms — like upper respiratory congestion or a runny nose,” explains nurse practitioner Shaneeka Rice, CNP. “You get bacterial pink eye when some type of dirt or debris gets into your eye. Maybe your hands are dirty and you rub your eye, or you come in contact with somebody who already has it, and then you touch your face.”
Home remedies for pink eye
In general, you’re able to treat the symptoms or side effects of pink eye until the illness runs its course. But the type of pink eye you have determines which remedy might offer relief.
Eye drops
Hydrating your eye with over-the-counter artificial tears or saline drops is a good solution. “The irritation that comes from the eye could be because it’s dried out,” says Rice. “Or it could be due to your environment, such as if you have dust from heating/cooling systems in your house. If you hydrate your eye, that usually helps to soothe it.”
If your pinkeye is from allergies, antihistamine drops might also help.
Cool water rinses
Cool or tepid warm water rinses or compresses can help soothe your eyes. “If you have itchy eyes, avoid heat,” says Rice. “Heat makes the itch worse. You want to stick to a cool, tepid temperature for a rinse when you have itchiness.”
Over-the-counter medication
If your eye is inflamed, acetaminophen (like Tylenol®) or ibuprofen can be effective for some discomfort.
For allergies, medications like Zyrtec® might also help.
Pink eye remedies to avoid
In general, Rice says to avoid putting something in your eyes unless you’ve consulted with a healthcare provider first. That also goes for pink eye and other eye-related ailments.
Breast milk
You might have heard people say putting breast milk in your eye is beneficial because it has antibodies. A 2021 study also found that a drop of breast milk could be an effective treatment for breastfed babies less than 6 months old with eye discharge.
But Rice says there’s “no statistical research” that says breast milk is an effective treatment for pink eye in adults. “It could actually make eye symptoms worse,” she cautions.
Antibiotics for viral pink eye
If you catch pinkeye, you might automatically think you need antibiotics. That’s not necessarily the case unless you have the bacterial type, which is actually less common. “Most people only associate pinkeye with bacteria, or assume that when they have pink eye it’s from a bacterial infection,” says Rice. “However, the most common kind of pink eye that we see is viral.”
Unfortunately, antibiotics aren’t appropriate for viral pink eye — just like they aren’t appropriate for other viruses you might catch. So, if you do have viral pink eye, there’s not much doctors can recommend for treatment besides the supportive care previously mentioned — cool compresses or eye rinses, hydrating eye drops and waiting it out.
Can you get rid of pink eye overnight?
If you have pink eye from allergens, it can go away quickly, assuming you treat it with antihistamines and other proper care. But the bacterial and viral forms of pink eye won’t go away overnight.
“Bacterial pink eye gets worse over time if you don’t take an antibiotic,” says Rice. “With viral pink eye, it depends on how your cold symptoms go.”
For example, if you have a cold with congestion, your post-nasal drip might drain down the back of your throat or through your ears or eyes. “If your congestion is really built up in the sinuses, you’re going to get discharge from your eyes because it has nowhere to go,” explains Rice. “That will take days to get better.”
How long does it take pink eye to go away?
Cold symptoms generally last about two weeks, although viral pink eye typically goes away in five to seven days. And as long as you take antibiotics, bacterial pink eye also lasts about five to seven days.
When to see a doctor for pink eye
There’s not much you can do to cure viral pink eye except wait it out.
However, there are times when seeing a doctor is warranted. Symptoms of bacterial pink eye get worse over time without an antibiotic. “Typically, you’ll have a red and inflamed eye, and you might have some eyelid swelling,” says Rice. “You’ll also have a thick, yellowish or greenish discharge and crust that doesn’t improve throughout the day or over the course of several days.”
Viral pink eye can also become bacterial pink eye over time at any point when you’re sick. “If you introduce any type of debris or dirt into your eyes, you can develop bacterial pinkeye,” Rice states.
For eye redness, pain or irritation, you can get your eye examined by a primary care doctor or express care. “I often hear, ‘I woke up with my eye crusted shut — I think I have pinkeye,’” says Rice. “But that’s not actually true. Everyone typically wakes up with some crust to their eyelids.”
There are also many reasons for eye redness or irritation, she adds. The air in your house could be dry if you’ve just turned the heat on, or air conditioning introduces dust in the air. “All of this can contribute to you developing crust in your eyes,” says Rice. “That doesn’t necessarily mean that you have a bacterial pink eye.”
If you experience eye pain or vision changes, though — blurriness, double vision or loss of sight — you should see a doctor right away. These could be symptoms of something serious, like a stroke or brain tumor, or another health concern.
“You could have an abrasion or a scratch to your eye,” says Rice. “You can also get something called a subconjunctival hemorrhage, which is where the vein ruptures in the eye. You don’t typically do anything for it. However, it can be pretty scary-looking.”
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