The biggest mistakes people make with pink eye involve touching or rubbing their eyes, wearing contact lenses during the infection, and putting unproven remedies in their eyes. Most cases of pink eye resolve on their own within one to two weeks, but the wrong choices during that window can spread the infection to others, introduce new bacteria, or even damage your cornea. Here’s what to avoid.
Don’t Rub or Touch Your Eyes
This is the hardest rule to follow because pink eye itches. But rubbing does real damage. During an active infection, rubbing can push bacteria or viruses deeper into the eye tissue and spread the infection to your other eye. It also risks scratching your cornea, which is already more vulnerable when inflamed.
Beyond the immediate infection, aggressive rubbing weakens the cornea over time and can distort its shape, a condition called keratoconus. That distortion causes irregular astigmatism that glasses and even contact lenses sometimes can’t correct. Repeated rubbing also loosens the eyelid, causing it to lose elasticity permanently. If you’re rubbing hard enough to see little flashes of light with your eyes closed (called photopsia), you’re applying far too much pressure.
Instead of rubbing, use a clean, cold compress against your closed eyelid to relieve the itch. Artificial tears can also help flush irritants and soothe discomfort.
Don’t Wear Contact Lenses
Remove your contacts as soon as you notice symptoms and don’t put them back in until your eye doctor clears you. Contact lenses trap bacteria and viruses against your cornea, creating the perfect environment for a secondary infection called keratitis. Left untreated, keratitis can cause vision loss or blindness.
If you were wearing disposable lenses when symptoms started, throw that pair away along with the case. For reusable lenses, disinfect them thoroughly before wearing them again, but only after your infection has fully cleared. Switch to glasses for the entire duration of your pink eye.
Don’t Use Redness-Relief Eye Drops
“Get the red out” drops like Visine are one of the most common mistakes. These drops contain ingredients that temporarily shrink blood vessels to reduce redness, but they don’t treat the infection at all. They mask what’s actually happening in your eye while the underlying condition stays the same or gets worse. When the drops wear off, redness often rebounds and looks even more intense than before.
The American Academy of Ophthalmology specifically warns against using redness-reducing drops during pink eye, noting they can be very uncomfortable during an infection and may worsen symptoms. Stick with preservative-free artificial tears if your eyes feel dry or gritty.
Don’t Assume You Need Antibiotics
Most pink eye cases are caused by a virus or an allergy, neither of which responds to antibiotic eye drops. Despite this, a large number of people with pink eye receive antibiotic prescriptions they don’t need. Harvard Health has reported that the majority of pink eye cases get unnecessary treatment.
Using antibiotics when you have viral pink eye doesn’t just waste money. It can actually delay healing and contributes to antibiotic resistance, making these drugs less effective when they’re truly needed. Antibiotic drops are only appropriate for bacterial conjunctivitis, which your doctor can help distinguish from other types based on the color and consistency of discharge and other symptoms.
Don’t Try Home Remedies in Your Eyes
Breast milk, herbal extracts, honey, and tea bag compresses all circulate online as pink eye cures. None of them are proven to work, and several can make things worse. Studies on breast milk and pink eye suggest it’s ineffective and potentially harmful because it introduces new bacteria into the eye, risking a more serious secondary infection. Herbal extracts and food-based remedies aren’t sterile, and placing them in an infected eye is a recipe for complications.
The rule is simple: don’t put anything in your eye that wasn’t specifically approved by a doctor or clearly labeled as a sterile ophthalmic product.
Don’t Share Personal Items
Viral pink eye is highly contagious, and the adenoviruses that cause most cases are remarkably tough. They can survive on household surfaces for hours and resist many common disinfectants. That means towels, pillowcases, washcloths, and eye drops become transmission vehicles.
Use your own towel and washcloth, and change your pillowcase daily. Never share eye drops, even with family members. Wash your hands thoroughly every time you touch your face, apply drops, or clean discharge from your eyes. If you have pink eye in one eye, be careful not to transfer it to the other by using the same tissue or compress on both sides.
Don’t Keep Using Your Old Makeup
Any eye makeup you were using before or during the infection needs to go. Mascara, eyeliner, eyeshadow, and brushes or applicators can all harbor the virus or bacteria that caused your pink eye. Reusing contaminated products after you’ve healed can reinfect you immediately.
Discard everything that touched the eye area and replace it with new products once your infection has completely cleared. This applies to makeup sponges and any tools you used around your eyes as well. Don’t apply any eye makeup while you still have symptoms.
Don’t Ignore Warning Signs
Most pink eye is mild and clears up without treatment, but certain symptoms signal something more serious. Get prompt medical attention if you experience eye pain (not just irritation, but actual pain), sensitivity to light, blurred vision, or intense redness that keeps getting worse. These can indicate a corneal infection or other condition that requires treatment beyond what pink eye normally needs.
If you have viral or bacterial conjunctivitis, stay home from work or school when you’re symptomatic, especially if you can’t avoid close contact with others. You can typically return once a doctor gives approval and any prescribed treatment is underway.