What is Viral Conjunctivitis

Viral conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the clear membrane that covers the white part of your eye and the inner surface of your eyelid (conjunctiva). The inflammation is caused by a viral infection. The blood vessels in the conjunctiva become inflamed, causing the eye to become red or pink, and often itchy. Viral conjunctivitis can be easily passed from one person to another (is contagious). This condition is often called pink eye.

What are the causes?

This condition is caused by a virus. A virus is a type of contagious germ. It can be spread by touching objects that have been contaminated with the virus, such as doorknobs or towels. It can also be passed through droplets, such as from coughing or sneezing.

What are the signs or symptoms?

Symptoms of this condition include:

• Eye redness.
• Tearing or watery eyes.
• Itchy and irritated eyes.
• Burning feeling in the eyes.
• Clear drainage from the eye.
• Swollen eyelids.
• A gritty feeling in the eye.
• Light sensitivity.

This condition often occurs with other symptoms, such as a fever, nausea, or a rash.

How is this diagnosed?

This condition is diagnosed with a medical history and physical exam. If you have discharge from your eye, the discharge may be tested to rule out other causes of conjunctivitis.

How is this treated?

Viral conjunctivitis does not respond to medicines that kill bacteria (antibiotics). Treatment for viral conjunctivitis is directed at stopping a bacterial infection from developing in addition to the viral infection. Treatment also aims to relieve your symptoms, such as itching. This may be done with antihistamine drops or other eye medicines. Rarely, steroid eye drops or antiviral medicines may be prescribed.

Follow these instructions at home:

Medicines

• Take or apply over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your health care provider.
• Be very careful to avoid touching the edge of the eyelid with the eye drop bottle or ointment tube when applying medicines to the affected eye. Being careful this way will stop you from spreading the infection to the other eye or to other people.

Eye care

• Avoid touching or rubbing your eyes.
• Apply a warm, wet, clean washcloth to your eye for 10–20 minutes, 3–4 times per day or as told by your health care provider.
• If you wear contact lenses, do not wear them until the inflammation is gone and your health care provider says it is safe to wear them again. Ask your health care provider how to sterilize or replace your contact lenses before using them again. Wear glasses until you can resume wearing contacts.
• Avoid wearing eye makeup until the inflammation is gone. Throw away any old eye cosmetics that may be contaminated.
• Gently wipe away any drainage from your eye with a warm, wet washcloth or a cotton ball.

General instructions

• Change or wash your pillowcase every day or as told by your health care provider.
• Do not share towels, pillowcases, washcloths, eye makeup, makeup brushes, contact lenses, or glasses. This may spread the infection.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water. Use paper towels to dry your hands. If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer.
• Try to avoid contact with other people for one week or as told by your health care provider.

Contact a health care provider if:

• Your symptoms do not improve with treatment or they get worse.
• You have increased pain.
• Your vision becomes blurry.
• You have a fever.
• You have facial pain, redness, or swelling.
• You have yellow or green drainage coming from your eye.
• You have new symptoms.

Get help right away if:

• Your child who is younger than 3 months has a temperature of 100°F (38°C) or higher.

Summary

• Viral conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the eye’s conjunctiva.
• The condition is caused by a virus, and is spread by touching contaminated objects or breathing in droplets from a cough or a sneeze.
• Do not touch the edge of the affected eyelid with the eye drop bottle or ointment tube when applying medicines to the affected eye.
• Do not let your child share towels, pillowcases, washcloths, eye makeup, makeup brushes, contact lenses, or glasses. These can spread the infection.