Red eye and conjunctivitis: infection, precautions and assessment

See an ophthalmologist the same day if a red, painful eye is accompanied by blurred vision, vision remains blurred after blinking, or light hurts. This timing also applies particularly to children under two, diabetes, immune deficiency, recent eye surgery or an existing eye condition.

Conjunctivitis is inflammation of the membrane covering the white of the eye and the inner eyelids. A viral or bacterial cause can be contagious; allergy or irritation does not spread in the same way. Redness alone cannot identify the cause.

If redness causes only mild discomfort but discharge persists despite suitable cleaning and removing contact lenses, seek assessment in the coming days. A visual change, pain with blurred vision or sensitivity to light requires same-day assessment without waiting.

Remove contact lenses while symptoms are present and until recovery; ask for advice before restarting them. Avoid rubbing your eyes and wash your hands before and after touching them. Eye makeup used just before symptoms may have been contaminated and may need to be discarded.

Treatment depends on the cause and severity. Antibiotic eye treatment is not automatic, particularly for viral conjunctivitis. Do not use corticosteroid eye drops without medical advice: some eye infections can become worse.

At the consultation, explain when symptoms started, contact lens use and any eye medicines used. The doctor examines the eye and may check the cornea or look for a foreign body; this helps distinguish conjunctivitis from other causes of redness.