When to worry about light sensitivity with conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis may make the eye watery, gritty, itchy, or uncomfortable in bright surroundings. Mild sensitivity can accompany surface irritation. It is less typical for simple conjunctivitis when light hurts deeply, vision is reduced, the pupil looks unusual, or the eye cannot open. Those features can signal a deeper eye problem and cannot be judged safely from redness alone.

Rest your eyes, use sunglasses outdoors, and wash your hands before and after touching the eye. Do not share towels, cosmetics, or eye drops, and do not wear contact lenses while the eye is irritated. A cool clean compress can soothe discomfort. Arrange review if symptoms are not improving, recur often, or affect work, driving, or reading.

Get same-day eye care for significant pain, new blurred or reduced vision, pronounced light sensitivity, a cloudy-looking front of the eye, or redness around the coloured part. Seek emergency help after an eye injury or chemical splash, or if headache, vomiting, swelling, or difficulty moving the eye occurs. Contact-lens wearers should seek prompt advice for pain or vision change.

Ask whether the inflammation is limited to the eye surface, whether an examination of the cornea is needed, and how long you should avoid lenses. Tell the clinician about discharge, recent illness, injury, contact-lens use, and any vision change.