What should you know about adult conjunctivitis?

Adult conjunctivitis is inflammation of the eye’s surface lining and may be infectious, allergic, or irritant-related. It can cause redness, watering, grittiness, itching, or discharge. Treatment depends on the cause: antibiotics are relevant only for some bacterial cases, while viral conjunctivitis often needs supportive care and allergic conjunctivitis is managed by reducing allergen exposure and using suitable eye treatments.

Viral conjunctivitis commonly brings watery eyes and may occur with cold-like symptoms. Bacterial conjunctivitis can produce thicker discharge that makes the eyelids stick together. Allergic conjunctivitis often affects both eyes with prominent itching and watering. Smoke, dust, chemicals, a foreign body, or an eye-surface injury can also cause redness, so appearance alone does not always identify the cause.

Wash your hands before and after touching the eye area, avoid rubbing, and use a clean damp pad to wipe discharge from the eyelids. Do not share towels, pillowcases, cosmetics, or eye drops. Stop wearing contact lenses until symptoms have resolved and a clinician says it is appropriate to restart; replace or disinfect lenses and their case as advised. Cool compresses and preservative-free lubricating drops may ease irritation. Do not use leftover antibiotic or steroid eye drops, because the wrong medicine can delay diagnosis or worsen some eye problems.

Seek urgent assessment for significant eye pain, new light sensitivity, reduced or blurred vision that does not clear after blinking, a severe headache with nausea, an eye injury, or chemical exposure. Rinse a chemical-exposed eye immediately with plenty of clean water while arranging emergency help. Contact-lens wearers with a red or painful eye should remove the lenses and obtain prompt assessment because infection of the cornea needs early treatment. Arrange a clinical review if discharge is heavy, symptoms are worsening, or they are not beginning to improve.

Ask whether the pattern suggests a viral, bacterial, allergic, or irritant cause; whether the cornea needs examination; and which drops are safe with your medical history. Mention contact-lens use, recent respiratory illness, allergies, eye injury, chemical exposure, previous eye surgery, and every eye medicine already tried. If antibiotics are prescribed, confirm how to use them and when lack of improvement should trigger another examination.