Pink eye: viral, bacterial and allergic conjunctivitis

Three common types

The cause guides treatment and how contagious the eye is.

• Viral conjunctivitis — watery red eye, often after a cold; spreads easily; see our viral conjunctivitis page
• Bacterial conjunctivitis — sticky yellow-green discharge, lids stuck on waking; see our bacterial conjunctivitis page
• Allergic conjunctivitis — intense itching with hay fever; see our allergic conjunctivitis page

General self-care for mild cases

Cool compresses, lubricating drops and hand washing reduce discomfort and spread. Do not share towels or pillows. Contact lens wearers should remove lenses and seek advice if the eye is red. Avoid rubbing, which worsens allergic and viral cases.

When to seek urgent care

Same-day assessment is needed for moderate or severe eye pain, marked light sensitivity, reduced vision, a red eye in a contact lens wearer, or pink eye in a newborn. These are not typical simple conjunctivitis and need an eye examination.

Where to read more

This page is a starting point only. For in-depth information on each type — symptoms, duration, treatment and contagion — open our full condition guides on viral conjunctivitis, bacterial conjunctivitis and allergic conjunctivitis rather than relying on this summary alone.