What kind of doctor pink eye

If you think you may have pink eye, you should contact your eye doctor right away. Some forms of pink eye are highly contagious and can easily spread in schools and at home. The condition can affect one or both eyes. If you wear contact lenses and are diagnosed with pink eye, it is important that you do not wear contacts again until your eye is white and there is no discharge.

Your doctor can help if you have conjunctivitis caused by an allergy. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. Conjunctivitis Pink Eye. Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. Minus Related Pages. Viral Conjunctivitis Most cases of viral conjunctivitis are mild. Bacterial Conjunctivitis. Top of Page. Prevention and Treatment of Conjunctivitis in Newborns. Related Links. A child can usually go back to school or daycare about a week after the conjunctivitis diagnosis.

A: Bacterial and viral conjunctivitis, also called pink eye, are contagious. If antibiotics are being taken for bacterial conjunctivitis, you should no longer be contagious after 24 hours of antibiotic use. Otherwise, viral and bacterial conjunctivitis can remain contagious as long as symptoms are present. Allergen or irritant conjunctivitis is not contagious.

Your doctor will diagnose the specific cause of your pink eye to determine the most effective treatment. A: How long pink eye lasts depends on the cause or type of conjunctivitis you have.

For example, most cases of viral conjunctivitis will run their course over the span of two weeks. Bacterial conjunctivitis can begin to improve within 24 to 48 hours after antibiotics are started. Some types of conjunctivitis can be very serious if not treated. The symptoms of conjunctivitis can also look nearly identical to symptoms of other eye conditions.

A red or pink eye can sometimes be a sign of a serious eye problem. For an accurate diagnosis, see your eye doctor if you or your child develops a red, irritated eye or other symptoms of an eye infection. Allergic conjunctivitis. Can you naturally cure pink eye? Treating pink eye at home. Avoid swimming with pink eye. Treating pink eye in babies. Conjunctivitis pink eye. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

January What is conjunctivitis? Accessed April Pink eye conjunctivitis. Mayo Clinic. June Cleveland Clinic. April American Optometric Association. Pinkeye conjunctivitis. Patient education: Conjunctivitis pink eye beyond the basics. August By Amber McManes. Overview Pink eye symptoms Types of pink eye - viral, bacterial, allergic What causes pink eye?

How do you treat pink eye? Wash your hands often, to keep viral pink eye from spreading. Notes and References Conjunctivitis pink eye.