Learn what a typical Conjunctivitis prognosis is at Consumer Reports Health.

Conjunctivitis

What will happen to me?

Conjunctivitis usually clears up within a few days.

Between 6 in 10 and 7 in 10 people who have conjunctivitis recover completely in two to five days without needing any treatment.

Source:
Sheikh A, Hurwitz B.
Topical antibiotics for acute bacterial conjunctivitis: Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis update.
British Journal of General Practice. 2005; 55: 962-964.

¹ It's rare for an infection to cause serious problems.

Source:
Everitta H, Little P.
How do GPs diagnose and manage acute infective conjunctivitis?
Family Practice. 2002; 19: 658-660.

Babies should be treated very quickly with

antibiotics
These medications are used to help your immune system fight infection. There are a number of different types of antibiotics that work in different ways to get rid of bacteria, parasites and other infectious agents. Antibiotics do not work against viruses.

antibiotics if they have conjunctivitis. This is because it can lead to more serious infections in babies.

In adults, conjunctivitis occasionally causes keratitis. This is an infection in the front of the eye. People who wear contact lenses are more likely to get keratitis. If you have conjunctivitis and you wear contact lenses, you should see your doctor as soon as you can.

If you have conjunctivitis, there are things you can do to help with your symptoms and keep other people from catching the infection.

Source:
American Family Physician. November 2002.
Conjunctivitis.
Available at http://www.aafp.org (accessed on 5 November 2008).

Source:
American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Conjunctivitis preferred practice pattern.
Available at http://www.aao.org (accessed on 5 November 2008).

⁴

Hold a clean cloth soaked in warm water to your eyes (keep them closed). Don't let anyone else use this cloth.
If you think you have conjunctivitis because of an allergy, try to find out what causes the allergy, so you can try to stay away from it.
Wash you hands often.
Don't share towels or pillows.

Sources for the information on this page:

Sheikh A, Hurwitz B.Topical antibiotics for acute bacterial conjunctivitis: Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis update.British Journal of General Practice. 2005; 55: 962-964.

Everitta H, Little P.How do GPs diagnose and manage acute infective conjunctivitis?Family Practice. 2002; 19: 658-660.

American Family Physician. November 2002.Conjunctivitis.Available at http://www.aafp.org (accessed on 5 November 2008).

American Academy of Ophthalmology.Conjunctivitis preferred practice pattern.Available at http://www.aao.org (accessed on 5 November 2008).

This information was last updated on Apr 24, 2009

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment.
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2009. All rights reserved.

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