Health Home > Eyes & Vision > Antibiotic eyedrops or ointments

Antibiotic eyedrops or ointments

Healthwise
By Jan Nissl, RN, BS

Did you find this helpful?

Be the first to rate!
Not yet rated

After you start using the medicines prescribed for your pinkeye (conjunctivitis), your symptoms should decrease over the next 24 to 48 hours. If your symptoms do not improve, you may have a problem other than pinkeye, or your medicine may need to be adjusted or changed. See a picture of how to use eyedrops or eye ointments.

You need to talk with the doctor who prescribed the medicine if you have symptoms that:

  • Continue or get worse after 24 to 48 hours of antibiotic treatment.
  • Continue or return after antibiotic treatment has been started or completed. This may mean you have an ongoing infection and more treatment is needed.

If pinkeye does not improve with antibiotic eyedrops or ointment:

  • You may have a viral infection. Antibiotics will not clear up pinkeye caused by a virus.
  • Your eyes may be irritated from the antibiotic medicine.

Oral antibiotic medicines may also be effective in relieving pinkeye symptoms.

Credits

Author Jan Nissl, RN, BS
Editor Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA
Associate Editor Tracy Landauer
Primary Medical Reviewer William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer Christopher J. Rudnisky, MD, FRCSC - Ophthalmology
Last Updated December 6, 2007
Last Updated: 12/06/2007

Health Resources

help

Yahoo! Health Groups

Join the Conversation

Join a Yahoo! Group and discuss with other memebers in the group. Share tips and experiences

See All Yahoo Groups »

Tip of the Day

Provided by: RealAgeNov 5, 2009

Piling your favorite sandwich fixings on the right kind of bread could mean healthier blood pressure. The right choice? One hundred percent whole-grain.

Read More »

View All Tips »