Pink Eye Treatment Specialist in Honolulu, HI

Conjunctivitis, most commonly known as pink eye, is an infection or inflammation of the transparent membrane that is a part of the eyelid and white part of the eyeball. When small blood vessels in the transparent membrane become inflamed, they become more visible. This will make the whites of the eyes look pink or reddish in color.
 
The most common cause of pink eye is either a viral or bacterial infection. Conjunctivitis can also be affected by allergic reactions. In babies, it can be caused by a tear duct that has not completely opened.
 
Pink eye is quite irritating, but it rarely affects your vision. Treatments can help reduce the discomfort that comes with pink eye. Pink eye is contagious and early diagnosis and treatment will limit its spread.
 
When you experience pink eye, you will probably have red or pink color in one or both eyes. This will be accompanied by itchiness and a gritty feeling in one or both eyes. You may find that there is a discharge that happens as you sleep that makes it difficult to open your eye or eyes in the morning.

The treatment for pink is generally symptom relief. The doctor may recommend cleaning your eyelids with a damp cloth, applying a warm or cold compress or using artificial tears. These will not require a prescription.
 
If you wear contact lenses, you will be instructed to stop wearing them until the pink eye treatment has been completed. Your doctor will probably recommend that you dispose of the contacts you have worn if they are the disposable kind. If they are hard lenses, they will need to be disinfected. Ask your doctor if other items associated with your contacts will need special care or if they need to be disposed of. 
 
If you wear eye makeup, dispose of any you were using for you caught pink eye.
 
It is uncommon for cases of pink eye to require antibiotic eye drops. Because pink eye is most often viral and not bacterial, antibiotics will not help. In the case of a viral infection, it will need time to run its course. Viral pink eye will often start in one eye and then move to the other. It should gradually clear on its own. Antiviral medications might be needed if your doctor has determined that your viral pink eye is caused by the herpes simplex virus.

Generally, it will not be necessary for you to see an optometrist for pink eye. If the case is severe enough you may need to see a doctor. Primary care doctors are able to treat most cases of pink eye.
 
Most of the time, you will not need to see a doctor to address pink eye, but if you have any of the following symptoms, it is recommended that you do.
 
See a doctor if you have:

– Blurry vision
– Moderate or severe pain in your eyes
– Intense redness in the eyes
– More sensitivity to light than you usually have
– More mucus in the eyes than usual
– More mucus and crustiness than usual when you wake in the morning
– Symptoms that won’t go away after using cold compresses and artificial tears for a few days.

If you have a weakened immune system, it will be important to see a doctor.

Urgent care clinics are equipped to address issues of pink eye. Most cases of pink eye will clear on their own. But, if you encounter the conditions listed above or have other symptoms that are related to an infection, like a fever or chills, a visit to urgent care would be a good decision.
 
Urgent Care at Island Medical and Beauty is equipped to help you address pink eye if it isn’t going away on its own. If you want more information about how we can help, call us or schedule an online appointment. We serve patients from Honolulu HI, Halawa HI, Aiea HI, Pearl City HI, and Village Park HI.