Most cases of pink eye clear up on their own within a few days to two weeks without prescription medication. The core of home treatment is simple: keep the eye clean, relieve discomfort with compresses and artificial tears, and prevent spreading the infection to your other eye or to other people. Here’s how to do each of those well.
Figure Out What Type You Have
How you treat pink eye at home depends partly on what’s causing it. Viral pink eye, the most common type, produces watery discharge and often starts in one eye before spreading to the other. Bacterial pink eye tends to produce thicker, yellow-green discharge that can crust your eyelids shut overnight. Allergic pink eye usually affects both eyes at once, causes intense itching, and comes with other allergy symptoms like sneezing or a runny nose.
Viral and mild bacterial pink eye typically resolve without antibiotics. Allergic pink eye improves once you reduce your exposure to the trigger or take an allergy medication. All three types benefit from the same basic comfort measures.
Compresses for Pain and Swelling
A clean, lint-free cloth soaked in water and wrung out makes an effective compress. Apply it gently to your closed eyelids several times a day. Cool water tends to feel most soothing, especially for allergic pink eye, but a warm compress works just as well if you prefer it. Warm compresses are particularly helpful for loosening the crusty discharge that builds up along your lash line with bacterial pink eye.
Use a fresh cloth each time, and use a separate cloth for each eye. This prevents you from reinfecting one eye with discharge from the other.
Over-the-Counter Eye Drops
Artificial tears (lubricating eye drops) help relieve the dryness and irritation that come with any type of pink eye. You can buy them without a prescription at any pharmacy. Use preservative-free single-use vials if possible, since multi-dose bottles can become contaminated.
For allergic pink eye specifically, over-the-counter antihistamine eye drops can reduce itching and redness. However, avoid “get-the-red-out” drops (vasoconstrictors marketed for cosmetic redness relief). These can actually worsen your symptoms and don’t treat the underlying problem.
Remedies to Avoid
The American Academy of Ophthalmology warns against putting anything in your eye that isn’t approved for ocular use. A few popular home remedies deserve specific warnings:
- Breast milk: Despite its reputation as a natural remedy, studies suggest it doesn’t work for pink eye. Breast milk isn’t sterile and can introduce new bacteria into the eye, potentially causing a more serious infection.
- Honey, herbal extracts, or tea washes: These are not sterile. Putting food-based or herbal products in your eye risks worsening the infection.
- Redness-reducing eye drops: Products designed to make eyes look whiter can mask symptoms and lead to complications.
Hygiene That Prevents Spreading
Pink eye, particularly viral and bacterial types, remains contagious as long as the eye is tearing and producing discharge. Good hygiene during this window is critical, both to protect the people around you and to keep the infection from jumping to your other eye.
Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before and after touching your face, applying eye drops, or cleaning discharge from your eyes. If soap isn’t available, use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Avoid touching or rubbing your eyes, and if you do, wash your hands immediately afterward.
Don’t share pillows, washcloths, towels, eye drops, or eye makeup with anyone. Wash your pillowcases, sheets, and towels frequently in hot water and detergent. If you wear contact lenses, stop wearing them as soon as symptoms appear. Throw away disposable lenses and their cases. Clean reusable lenses and eyeglasses thoroughly before using them again after the infection clears.
How Long Recovery Takes
Most cases of pink eye improve within a few days to two weeks depending on the cause. Viral pink eye often gets worse for the first three to five days before gradually improving. Bacterial pink eye may start to improve faster, especially with antibiotic drops, but mild cases resolve on their own in a similar timeframe. Allergic pink eye can linger as long as you’re exposed to the allergen but responds quickly once you remove the trigger or start an antihistamine.
Signs You Need Medical Attention
Certain symptoms signal something more serious than routine pink eye. Seek prompt care if you experience eye pain (not just irritation), blurred vision, sensitivity to light, or a feeling that something is stuck in your eye. These can indicate conditions that require treatment beyond home care.
Contact lens wearers need to be especially vigilant. If your symptoms don’t improve within 12 to 24 hours of removing your lenses, see an eye care professional to rule out a more serious infection related to lens use.