X
More than 60,000 patients use Brite
4.6 stars
Your health finally understandable with Brite
Enter email and you're done. No subscription, no credit card.
Search, tap and you're done. Over 3,400 medicines.
Check, remind, get an overview.
Sarah K., 34
I finally understand my therapy. The app reminds me, answers my questions — and I don't feel alone with it anymore.
At a glance
Enter your eye drops into brite, get reminded of every application and keep track of how your symptoms develop. Free of charge.
Severe eye pain, a clear deterioration in vision or pronounced light sensitivity are not part of harmless conjunctivitis — with these signs, get it checked promptly by an eye specialist.
The conjunctiva is a thin, transparent mucous membrane that covers the white of the eye and lines the inside of the lids. It keeps the eye moist, protects against pathogens and foreign bodies and is criss-crossed by fine blood vessels. In conjunctivitis these vessels are irritated and dilated — which is why the eye appears red to pink, waters and often feels as if there were sand in it.
In the vast majority of cases conjunctivitis is harmless and heals on its own again. It is unpleasant and can be contagious, but normally does not threaten eyesight. That is precisely where the difficulty lies, however: a red eye can have many causes — from harmless irritation through to more serious diseases of the inside of the eye. The most important step is therefore to distinguish harmless conjunctivitis from the few dangerous causes. A few simple warning signs help with this, which we explain further below.
Three main forms are distinguished above all: the viral (caused by viruses), the bacterial (caused by bacteria) and the allergic conjunctivitis. In addition there are non-contagious irritant forms, for example from dry air, draughts, screen work, chlorinated water, smoke or cosmetics. Which form is present determines whether and how treatment is given — and whether there is a risk of infection.
The three most common forms can often be told apart by a few typical features. That is important because they are treated differently: the viral and the bacterial forms are contagious, the allergic one is not. The following classification table gives you an initial orientation — but it does not replace a medical assessment, because the forms can overlap in everyday life.
| Feature | Viral | Bacterial | Allergic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Secretion / discharge | Watery, clear | Purulent, yellowish, sticks the lids together | Watery-mucous |
| Eyes affected | Often one first, then both | Frequently one-sided or one after the other | Almost always both at the same time |
| Itching | Rather mild | Rather mild | Pronounced, in the foreground |
| Accompanying signs | Often a cold, swollen lymph nodes in front of the ear | Strong sticking in the morning | Sneezing, runny nose, seasonal |
| Contagious? | Yes, highly | Yes | No |
| Typical duration | 1–2 weeks | A few days to 1–2 weeks | As long as there is allergen contact |
The allergic form is the most reliable to recognise: it affects both eyes at the same time, itching is clearly in the foreground and it often occurs together with sneezing and a runny nose, frequently seasonally during the pollen season. The bacterial form stands out through purulent, yellowish secretion that sticks the lids together, above all in the morning. The viral form — the most common — is accompanied by watery tearing and often occurs in the context of a cold; swollen lymph nodes in front of the ear are typical. In practice, however, telling them apart by appearance alone is not always clear-cut, which is why treatment initially often follows the symptoms and the course.
As varied as the causes are, the basic complaints are just as similar. Nearly all forms share the red, irritated eye with increased tearing. Typical symptoms are:
An important distinguishing feature: with pure conjunctivitis visual acuity is normal. Tearing or secretion can cause a blurred image, but this briefly improves with blinking or wiping. A genuine, persistent visual disturbance is not part of the harmless picture — nor is severe pain. Such signs point to a deeper involvement of the eye and must be checked by an eye specialist (see warning signs).
Depending on the form, quite different triggers lie behind conjunctivitis. Understanding the cause helps to avoid transmission and to treat it correctly.¹
The contagious forms are transmitted above all via the hands: you rub your eye, then touch a door handle, a towel or a smartphone — and the next person picks up the pathogens. That is why consistent hand hygiene is the most important protection. The viral form can be contagious even before clear symptoms appear and often stays so as long as the eye is watering and red. How to avoid transmission concretely in everyday life is covered in the hygiene chapter.
An uncomplicated case of conjunctivitis is usually a visual diagnosis: the appearance of the eye, the type of secretion, itching, accompanying complaints and the time course together give a fairly clear picture. In many cases no elaborate examination is needed for this, and mild complaints subside on their own.¹,²
An eye specialist assessment, by contrast, is sensible or necessary if one of the following features applies:
During the examination the eye specialist looks at the eye with the slit lamp — a special microscope — checks visual acuity and above all assesses whether the cornea is also affected. In unclear or severe cases a swab to determine the pathogen can be useful, for example with a pronounced bacterial infection or if a particular pathogen is suspected. If an allergy is suspected, an allergological work-up helps to find the trigger. The good news remains: in the great majority of cases the harmless picture is confirmed.
Treatment depends on the form — and is often surprisingly restrained. Most cases of conjunctivitis heal on their own, so therapy mainly relieves the symptoms and makes the course more comfortable. Antibiotics are only useful in certain cases (more on that shortly). As a rule: relief of symptoms, good hygiene and patience.¹,²
The most important general measure is artificial tears (tear substitutes) and cool, clean compresses. They flush out irritants, moisten the eye and relieve the gritty, foreign-body sensation — regardless of which form is present. Sticky lids can be gently cleaned in the morning with a clean, damp cloth from the outside inwards. You should avoid rubbing the eye if possible, because that intensifies the irritation and increases the risk of transmission.
The itching is particularly tormenting in the allergic form — cooling and avoiding the triggers often helps more than scratching and rubbing. More on how itching can be read and relieved can be found under itching. A blurred vision that briefly improves with blinking is usually due to tear film and secretion in conjunctivitis and is harmless — if it persists permanently, it should be checked.
brite reminds you of every application of your eye drops and documents how your symptoms develop — handy for the next doctor's appointment.
This is probably the most common question — and the answer surprises many: Usually no. Antibiotic eye drops are needed much less often for conjunctivitis than was previously assumed. There are good reasons for this:
Antibiotic eye drops are useful above all when there is a clearly bacterial, pronounced infection, when contact lenses are worn (higher risk of corneal involvement), with certain risk groups or when the complaints do not subside. That decision is made by the medical practice — not by the feeling of "having to take something". If eye drops are prescribed, correct and complete use is important: over the prescribed period, in the right dosage and without touching the dropper bottle with the eye or the lashes.
With the contagious forms — viral and bacterial — good hygiene decides whether you protect your surroundings and don't keep carrying the infection back and forth. The pathogens sit in the eye secretion and are passed on above all via the hands. These measures help reliably:
On the frequent question "Do I have to stay at home?": with the contagious viral form, holding back during the acute phase is sensible, especially in communal settings such as nursery or school. Exactly how long depends on the course and the local rules — check with a doctor when in doubt. As long as the eye is watering heavily and is red, there is generally a risk of infection.
Record in brite when the complaints began, how they develop and which drops you use — that way you recognise early whether a medical work-up becomes necessary.
Many well-meant home remedies circulate around the red eye — not all of them are harmless. Let us sort out the most common ones:
As a rule of thumb: anything that brings additional germs or possible allergens to the eye is not a good idea. Cleanliness, moisturising and cooling are the safe building blocks of self-help. And one more thing: putting make-up on the eye to conceal the redness usually worsens the irritation and prolongs the course.
Conjunctivitis is usually harmless, but it does want to be managed properly: applying eye drops regularly, keeping an eye on the course and recognising in good time when a medical work-up is needed. That is exactly what brite supports.
