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Prevention

By Mayo Clinic staff

To prevent eye infections:

  • Wash your hands. Wash your hands with soap and warm water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer several times each day. Keep your hands away from your eyes.
  • Take care with cosmetics. Reduce your risk of recurrent eye infections by throwing away old cosmetics. Don't share your cosmetics with others.
  • Make sure your contact lenses are clean. If you wear contact lenses, wash your hands thoroughly before inserting your contacts and follow your doctor's advice on disinfecting your contacts.
  • Manage your blepharitis. If you have blepharitis, follow your doctor's instructions for caring for your eyes.
References
  1. Mueller JB, et al. Ocular infection and inflammation. Emergency Medicine Clinics of North America. 2008;26:57.
  2. Fort GG, et al. Hordeolum (stye). In: Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2010. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/188483394-5/0/2088/0.html. Accessed March 11, 2010.
  3. Neff AG, et al. Benign eyelid lesions. In: Yanoff M, et al. Ophthalmology. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/188483394-9/0/1869/0.html. Accessed March 11, 2010.
  4. Chalazion/Hordeolum. In: Ehler JP, et al. The Wills Eye Manual: Office and Emergency Room Diagnosis and Treatment of Eye Disease. 5th ed. Baltimore, Md.: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2008. http://ovidsp.ovid.com/ovidweb.cgi?T=JS&NEWS=N&PAGE=booktext&D=books&AN=01337416/5th_Edition/3&XPATH=/OVIDBOOK%5b1%5d/METADATA%5b1%5d/TBY%5b1%5d/EDITORS%5b1%5d. Accessed March 11, 2010.
  5. Eyelid lumps. EyeSmart. http://www.geteyesmart.org/eyesmart/infections/eyelid.cfm. Accessed March 11, 2010.
  6. Safe use of eye cosmetics. Prevent Blindness America. http://www.preventblindness.org/resources/Non-Customizable/NC_FS15_08-076_Cosmetics.pdf. Accessed March 12, 2010.
  7. What you need to know about contact lens hygiene and compliance. American Optometric Association. http://www.aoa.org/x8024.xml. Accessed March 12, 2010.
  8. Robertson DM (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 19, 2010.
DS00257 April 8, 2010

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