Strep throat and pink eye: what to know

Strep throat is a bacterial infection affecting the throat and tonsils. It can cause a sore throat, fever, painful swallowing, and tender swollen glands in the neck. Pink eye means inflammation of the eye surface, causing redness, watering, irritation, crusting, or discharge. Eye symptoms are not a reliable way to confirm strep throat, and a red eye can have an infectious or non-infectious cause. A clinician may look at the throat and eyes together, ask about contact with illness, and decide whether a throat test is useful.

Arrange a GP consultation if a sore throat and eye symptoms occur together, especially when there is fever, marked throat pain, or trouble swallowing. Wash hands often, avoid touching or rubbing the eyes, and do not share towels, pillows, cups, or cosmetics. Use clean water and a separate clean pad for each eye to gently remove discharge. Rest and drink fluids; choose soft foods if swallowing hurts. Do not use leftover antibiotics or someone else’s eye drops. If treatment is prescribed, follow the directions and complete the course unless the prescriber changes it.

Seek urgent medical help for severe eye pain, light sensitivity, vision changes, swelling around the eye, inability to open the eye, breathing difficulty, drooling, inability to swallow fluids, or rapidly worsening illness. Prompt assessment is also sensible when symptoms are severe, a contact lens is involved, or an infant has a red or sticky eye. These warning signs need attention because eye and throat problems can occasionally require treatment beyond home care.

Ask whether the throat needs testing, whether the eye symptoms suggest a separate infection, which treatments are suitable for your age and medical history, and how long to avoid close contact with others.