Do You Need Antibiotics for Pink Eye?
Key takeaways:
You don’t always need to take antibiotics to treat pink eye (conjunctivitis).
Pink eye caused by a virus will go away on its own within a few days. Pink eye caused by bacteria should be treated with antibiotics.
An eye exam can help tell the difference between viral and bacterial pink eye. An eye doctor can prescribe antibiotics for pink eye, if you need them.
Table of contents
Pink eye (conjunctivitis) is an inflammation or infection of the clear lining that covers the eyelid and inside of the eye (conjunctivae).
Many cases of pink eye can be managed at home with cool compresses and preservative-free artificial tears. Taking a break from contact lenses, if you use them, can help, too. But some types of pink eye need to be treated with antibiotics. It’s not always easy to tell if you need to seek care for pink eye. Here are some clues that can help you decide whether or not you need antibiotics for pink eye.
Do you need antibiotics for pink eye?
You don’t always need antibiotics to treat pink eye. Whether or not antibiotics will help depends on what’s causing your symptoms.
Viral infections
Viral infections are the most common cause of pink eye, especially in adults. Antibiotics won’t treat pink eye caused by viruses. And they won’t make symptoms go away faster either. Viral conjunctivitis will get better on its own within a few days.
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Allergies
Antibiotics also won’t help if you have red, itchy eyes from allergies, called allergic conjunctivitis. Treatments like allergy eye drops, preservative-free artificial tears, and oral allergy medications are the best way to treat allergic conjunctivitis.
Bacterial infections
Pink eye caused by bacteria can be treated and cured with antibiotic treatment. Mild cases of bacterial conjunctivitis can get better on its own without antibiotics. But, in most cases, you should get antibiotic treatment. This can help symptoms go away faster and prevent more serious eye infections.
Most people only need treatment with antibiotic eye drops to cure their infection. But some types of bacterial conjunctivitis, like those caused by gonorrhea or chlamydia, need treatment with antibiotic pills or shots.
What’s the difference between bacterial and viral pink eye?
Bacterial pink eye is caused by bacteria. Viral pink eye is caused by viruses. Both types are contagious. That means you can pass the germs that cause pink eye to other people. But people who pick up these germs may or may not develop pink eye. They may develop another illness, like an upper respiratory tract infection, instead.
Bacterial and viral pink eye cause similar symptoms like:
Watery eye discharge
Eye redness
Eyelid swelling
Tearing
A gritty sensation in the eye
Treatments for conjunctivitis (pink eye): Antibiotics aren’t the only option. Here are tips for getting quick relief.
What to expect when you have pink eye: Here’s how long pink eye can last — with and without antibiotic treatment.
You can spread pink eye to others. To avoid getting or spreading pink eye, find out how long you're contagious with pink eye.
But bacterial pink eye is more likely to cause additional symptoms like:
Green, white, or yellow eye discharge
Eyelid redness
Eyelid pain
Crusting over the eyelids
Viral pink eye usually starts in one eye and develops in the other eye. Bacterial pink eye is more likely to affect only one eye.
Quiz: Do I have pink eye?
How do you know if you need antibiotics for pink eye?
There are a couple of important clues that can help you figure out if you need antibiotics for pink eye.
You likely need antibiotics if you have:
Yellow, thick eye discharge
Eye pain
Eyelid redness and swelling in only one eye
Fever
Pain with eye movement
When to seek medical care:
You have cold symptoms with pink eye. If you’ve been experiencing cold symptoms in addition to pink eye, you may have viral conjunctivitis. But it can be hard to know for sure without any eye exam.
You have sudden, severe, or lingering symptoms. It’s best to get an eye exam if your symptoms are severe, start all of a sudden, or aren’t getting better after 2 to 3 days.
You’re already taking antibiotics and you develop symptoms. It’s a good idea to get an eye exam right away if you’re already taking antibiotics to treat another infection and you develop pink eye.
You wear contact lenses and develop symptoms. You should also seek care if you wear contact lenses and have pink eye symptoms, even if those symptoms are mild.
An eye exam can confirm if you have pink eye. Your eye doctor can help determine if you should take antibiotics to treat pink eye.
When should you start taking antibiotics for pink eye?
It’s best to start taking antibiotics right away to treat bacterial pink eye. Starting treatment early can help your symptoms go away faster. You’ll also stop being contagious faster if you take antibiotics.
Most people need to take antibiotic eye drops 4 times per day for 5 to 7 days for bacterial pink eye.
Common antibiotic eye drops for pink eye include:
Ofloxacin drops (Ocuflox)
Trimethoprim/Polymyxin B drops (Polytrim)
There's no “best” antibiotic eye drop for pink eye. The best treatment for pink eye depends on many factors, including your age, eye health, and symptoms.
Here are some tips for giving yourself antibiotic eye drops:
Avoid touching the tip of the dropper to your eye. This can transfer bacteria from your eye to the bottle and cause another infection.
Wait at least five minutes between doses of antibiotics drops and artificial tears. This waiting period lets your eye absorb the antibiotics.
Your symptoms should start to improve after 24 hours of antibiotic treatment.
Call your eye doctor right away if your symptoms aren’t getting better or are getting worse after starting treatment.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, pink eye can go away on its own. Pink eye caused by viruses will get better over several days without treatment. You can let viral pink eye run its course and use cool compresses and artificial tears to help manage your symptoms.
Yes, seek medical care if you think you have bacterial pink eye. You should also see an eye doctor if you experience eye pain, eyelid redness and swelling, or thick discharge or vision changes. It’s also a good idea to see an eye doctor if you have pink eye symptoms and you wear contact lenses.
Bacterial pink eye is no longer contagious after you’ve used antibiotic eye drops for 24 hours. Viral pink eye is no longer contagious once your symptoms have completely gone away for at least 24 hours.
To avoid spreading germs that cause pink eye to others, wash your hands and towels and disinfect frequently touched surfaces.
The bottom line
Pink eye doesn’t always need antibiotic treatment. Viral pink eye will go away on its own over a few days. You can also let mild bacterial pink eye run its course. But you should seek care if you have eye pain, thick discharge, or other more severe symptoms. You should also seek care if you wear contact lenses, even if you have mild symptoms. You may need antibiotic treatment to help you recover. You can also use cool compresses and preservative-free artificial tears to help ease pink eye symptoms.
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References
American Academy of Ophthalmology. (n.d.). Viral conjunctivitis.
Chen, M., et al. (2025). Bacterial conjunctivitis. EyeWiki.
Robus, J. (2024). Conjunctivitis (bacterial and viral). East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust.
Varu, D. M., et al. (2018). Conjunctivitis Preferred Practice Pattern. Ophthalmology.
