What to expect from antibiotic treatment for conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis can result from bacteria, viruses, allergy, irritation, or another eye problem. A clinician may recommend antibiotic drops or ointment when bacterial infection is suspected. Redness, discharge, gritty discomfort, and stuck-together lashes should gradually ease, but improvement is not always immediate. Antibiotics do not remove viral or allergic inflammation, so an assessment is useful when the cause is uncertain.

Wash your hands before and after applying drops or ointment. Keep the bottle or tube tip away from the eye, lashes, and fingers, and use it for only the person it was prescribed for. Complete the prescribed schedule unless a clinician tells you to stop. Clean discharge gently with fresh water and avoid sharing towels, pillows, cosmetics, or eye products. Do not wear contact lenses until your clinician says it is safe; replace lenses and cases if advised.

Get urgent eye care for severe pain, light sensitivity, blurred or reduced vision, marked swelling, injury, or a red eye while wearing contact lenses. Arrange review if symptoms worsen, do not improve with treatment, or keep returning. A newborn or a person with reduced immunity needs prompt medical assessment for eye discharge or redness.

Ask whether the cause appears bacterial, how to apply the medicine, when you can return to lenses or work, and which changes require another examination.