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Prevention
By Mayo Clinic staffPracticing good hygiene is the best way to control the spread of pink eye. Once the infection has been diagnosed, follow these steps:
- Don't touch your eyes with your hands.
- Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently.
- Change your towel and washcloth daily, and don't share them with others.
- Change your pillowcase often.
- Discard eye cosmetics, particularly mascara.
- Don't use anyone else's eye cosmetics or personal eye-care items.
- Follow your eye doctor's instructions on proper contact lens care.
If your child is infected, avoid close contact with other children. Many schools send children with conjunctivitis home, and will likely ask that your child receive at least one full day of treatment before returning.
Preventing pink eye in newborns
Newborns' eyes are susceptible to bacteria normally present in the mother's birth canal. These bacteria cause no symptoms in the mother. In rare cases, these bacteria can cause infants to develop a serious form of conjunctivitis known as ophthalmia neonatorum, which needs treatment without delay to preserve sight. That's why shortly after birth, every newborn's eyes are protected with a preventative application of an antibiotic, such as erythromycin ointment.
