When To Call A Professional

Call your doctor if your eyes become red, watery and itchy, especially if there is a thick eye discharge that crusts on your eyelids. Call your doctor immediately if you have pain or swelling in your eyes, or if you develop blurred vision or a high fever or become sensitive to light. Call your doctor immediately whenever an infant, especially a newborn, shows symptoms of conjunctivitis.

If you are taking antibiotics to treat bacterial conjunctivitis, call your doctor if your eye redness continues after three days.

Prognosis

Most cases of uncomplicated viral or bacterial conjunctivitis get better without causing permanent eye damage.

Additional Info

National Eye Institute 2020 Vision Place Bethesda, MD 20892-3655 Phone: (301) 496-5248 http://www.nei.nih.gov/

American Academy of Ophthalmology P.O. Box 7424 San Francisco, CA 94120 Phone: (415) 561-8500 Fax: (415) 561-8533 http://www.aao.org/news/eyenet/