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Condition

Pink eye (conjunctivitis)

Pink eye is swelling of the thin, clear layer that covers the white of your eye. It is common and often mild, but some kinds spread easily and some need treatment.

Key points

Common signs
A pink or red eye, itching or burning, discharge and crusty eyelids in the morning.
Who’s at risk
People around someone with pink eye or a cold, people with allergies, and contact lens wearers.
How it’s found
Your eye doctor looks closely at your eye with a microscope to tell pink eye apart from more serious problems.
Treatment
It depends on the cause. Viral pink eye clears on its own. Antibiotic drops help only bacterial pink eye.
Hands being washed with soap at a sink, which helps keep pink eye from spreading

Pink eye, also called conjunctivitis, is swelling or infection of the conjunctiva. That is the thin, clear layer that covers the white part of your eye and the inside of your eyelids. When it is irritated, tiny blood vessels in it swell, so the eye looks pink or red.

Pink eye has several causes:

  • Viruses, the most common cause. Viral pink eye often comes with a cold and spreads easily.
  • Bacteria, which can also spread easily and often cause thick, sticky discharge.
  • Allergies, such as to pollen, dust or pet dander. This kind usually affects both eyes, itches a lot and does not spread to other people.
  • Irritants, such as smoke, pool water or a chemical splash.

Not every red eye is pink eye. Some red eyes come from problems that need prompt care, such as an infection of the cornea, swelling inside the eye or a sudden rise in eye pressure. Pain, blurred vision and strong sensitivity to light are warning signs that it may be something more.

  • Pink or red color in the white of the eye
  • Itchy, burning or gritty eyes
  • More tears than usual
  • Discharge that is watery, or thick and yellow or green
  • Crusts on the eyelids or lashes, especially in the morning
  • Swollen eyelids
  • Contact lenses that feel uncomfortable

Pink eye can affect one eye or both. Viral pink eye often starts in one eye and spreads to the other within a few days.

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