Treatment

• Provide supportive therapy to all patients.

• Start specific treatment if needed based on the suspected cause; see:

  • “Bacterial conjunctivitis”

  • “Viral conjunctivitis”

  • “Noninfectious conjunctivitis”

Conjunctivitis is usually a self-limited condition and complications (e.g., vision loss, permanent eye damage) are rare. Most patients only require supportive therapy. [1]

Patient education is vital to prevent conjunctivitis outbreaks.

• Apply refrigerated artificial tears as often as needed.

• Eyelid hygiene e.g.,

  • Saline irrigation

  • Remove eyelid discharge frequently

  • Avoiding touching the affected eye

  • Wash hands before and after cleaning the eye/applying eye drops

• Compresses (can be warm or cold)

• Advise patients to stop using contact lenses for ≥ 2 weeks. [6]

• Educate patients on the prevention of conjunctivitis.

• Emergency causes of red eye: These conditions require immediate referral to ophthalmology for management.

  • Preseptal cellulitis or orbital cellulitis

  • Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis

  • Traumatic eye injuries

  • Acute angle-closure glaucoma

  • Keratitis

  • Anterior uveitis

  • Scleritis

  • Corneal ulcer

• Others [1][2][3]

  • Malignancy (e.g., melanoma)

  • Episcleritis

  • Blepharitis

  • Subconjunctival hemorrhage