What should you know about bilateral conjunctivitis?

Conjunctivitis can make the whites of the eyes red, gritty, watery, itchy, or sticky. Viral infection often causes watery discharge and may occur with a cold; bacterial infection can cause thicker discharge and eyelids sticking together. Allergy commonly causes marked itching and affects both eyes, while smoke, dust, cosmetics, or contact lenses can irritate the surface. Eye discharge, red eye, and light sensitivity help describe the problem, but they do not by themselves identify the cause. Contact-lens wearers need particular care because a deeper eye infection can develop.

Wash hands before and after touching the eyes, avoid rubbing, and clean discharge gently with clean water and a fresh pad for each eye. Do not share towels, pillows, cosmetics, or eye drops. Pause contact lenses until the eyes are comfortable and a clinician says they can be restarted; discard lenses and cases used during infection if advised. A GP consultation can help distinguish infection from allergy or irritation. Antibiotic treatment is useful only when a clinician considers bacterial infection likely, so do not use leftover drops.

Seek urgent eye care for significant pain, reduced or blurred vision that does not clear with blinking, strong light sensitivity, marked swelling, injury, chemical exposure, or symptoms in a contact-lens wearer. Get emergency help for sudden vision loss or severe swelling with breathing difficulty. These features can signal a problem beyond uncomplicated conjunctivitis.

Does this look infectious, allergic, or irritant? Should I use drops, and for how long? When may I return to contact lenses or work? What change in vision or pain should trigger urgent review?