Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye or Aankh Aana): Types, Treatment and Prevention

You wake up with one eye red, sticky and glued shut. Soon the other eye follows. In Pakistan we call it “aankh aana”, and it spreads quickly through families, schools and offices, especially in the monsoon and in dusty seasons. It is usually mild, but knowing what type you have makes a difference to treatment, and to knowing when it is not simple conjunctivitis at all.

What is conjunctivitis?

Conjunctivitis, or pink eye, is inflammation of the conjunctiva, the thin clear layer covering the white of the eye and the inside of the eyelids. When it is inflamed, the tiny blood vessels widen and the eye looks pink or red.

Types and how to tell them apart

• Viral: the most common. Watery discharge, red eyes, gritty feeling, often with a cold or sore throat. Usually starts in one eye and spreads to the other. Highly contagious and clears by itself in one to two weeks.
• Bacterial: thick, sticky yellow or green discharge, crusting of the lids, eyelids stuck together in the morning. Can affect one or both eyes. Often needs antibiotic eye drops.
• Allergic: intense itching, watery eyes, swollen lids, often with sneezing and a runny nose (see our allergy products). Affects both eyes, and is not contagious.
• Irritant: from smoke, dust, chlorine or chemicals.
• Newborn conjunctivitis needs urgent medical care.

Symptoms

• Redness or pinkness in the white of the eye
• Watering or discharge
• Itching, burning, or a gritty feeling like sand in the eye
• Swollen eyelids and crusting
• Mild sensitivity to light

Normal conjunctivitis does not cause real pain or loss of vision.

Home care

• Clean the eyelids gently with cotton wool and boiled, cooled water, wiping from the inner corner outwards, using a fresh piece each time.
• Apply a clean, cool or warm compress to soothe the eyes.
• Use lubricating eye drops (artificial tears) for comfort. See dry eyes for more about these.
• Do not wear contact lenses until fully healed, and replace them and their case.
• Avoid make-up on the eyes, and discard old mascara and kajal.
• Do not use black glasses as a “cure”, they only reduce glare. They do not prevent spread.
• Do not put rose water, milk, honey, breast milk or home remedies in the eyes, which can cause infection.

Medicines

• Most viral conjunctivitis gets better without medicine in 1 to 2 weeks.
• Bacterial infection may be treated with antibiotic drops or ointment, prescribed after examination. Do not use leftover drops from an earlier infection.
• Allergic conjunctivitis improves with allergy eye drops, cold compresses, and avoiding the trigger.
• Steroid drops should never be used without an eye doctor’s advice, because they can worsen certain infections and damage the eye, including causing glaucoma and cataract.

Stopping it spreading

• Wash hands often, and do not touch or rub the eyes.
• Use your own towel, handkerchief and pillowcase, and wash them in hot water.
• Avoid shaking hands or sharing eye drops, make-up and glasses.
• Stay away from school or work while the eyes are red and discharging, usually until the discharge stops (about 3 to 7 days for viral).

Red flags: see an eye doctor urgently

• Severe eye pain or a feeling something is stuck in the eye
• Blurred or reduced vision
• Strong sensitivity to light
• Redness after an injury or a chemical splash (rinse with clean water first)
• A very red eye with a hazy cornea or a coloured ring around lights, which can suggest glaucoma
• A contact lens wearer with a red, painful eye
• A newborn with red or sticky eyes, or a child with fever and swelling around the eye
• No improvement after a week, or symptoms that get worse

Key takeaways

• Most aankh aana is viral or bacterial, contagious, and settles within one to two weeks.
• Clean eyes, hand washing and separate towels stop it spreading. Black glasses do not.
• Do not put home remedies or old/steroid drops in your eyes.
• Pain, reduced vision or sensitivity to light need a same-day eye examination.

Related medicines on Medimart

• Lubricant eye drops and carboxymethylcellulose eye drops: soothe irritation and dryness
• Chloramphenicol and tobramycin: antibiotic eye drops for bacterial infection, supplied only on a prescription
• Olopatadine: an allergy eye drop for itchy eyes

Browse eye infection products and dry eye products on Medimart, delivered across Pakistan. Prescription medicines are supplied only against a valid prescription.

This guide is for general information and does not replace advice from an eye doctor.