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How long is pink eye contagious after starting prescription drops?

09/11/25
Pink eye can be very contagious. Prescription antiviral or antibiotic drops can help, but the condition may still be contagious for a few days even after a person completes treatment.

Getting an eye infection is never a pleasant experience.

When the infection can be contagious, like pink eye, it’s important to know how to avoid spreading the disease and when to seek help from an eye doctor.

What is pink eye?

Pink eye, also called conjunctivitis, is a common condition in which one or both eyes are red and irritated. There’s also usually a discharge around the eye.

Most contagious types of pink eye will go away on their own within 7 to 10 days, even without treatment. However, if a newborn gets pink eye or if the pink eye is due to a sexually transmitted disease (STD), seek medical attention for them right away.

Symptoms include eyes that are:

  • Pink or red on the white of the eye and the inside of the eyelid
  • Itchy
  • Burning
  • Watery
  • Producing white, yellow or green discharge

Other symptoms include:

  • Puffy eyelid
  • Light sensitivity
  • Blurred vision
  • Feeling like something is stuck in the eye
  • One eye sealed shut by crusted discharge upon waking

There are three types of pink eye, not all of which are contagious:

  • Bacterial conjunctivitis (contagious)
  • Viral conjunctivitis (contagious)
  • Allergic conjunctivitis (not contagious)

Viral pink eye is the most common type of pink eye, but it can be hard to tell whether pink eye is bacterial or viral.

What causes pink eye in adults​?

Anyone can get pink eye. Usually, it’s caused by a virus, but bacteria, allergies or irritants can also cause it.

A person can contract the contagious type of pink eye by coming into contact with someone who has the condition or by getting a respiratory infection. Touching the eyes with the respiratory virus can spread the infection to the eyes.

It can also happen if the eye comes into contact with contaminated objects, genitals or fecal matter.

Here are some non-contagious causes of allergic pink eye:

  • Pet fur
  • Pollen
  • Chlorine in pool water
  • Air pollution
  • Irritating makeup

Wearing contacts can also increase a person’s risk of getting pink eye. If a person wears contact lenses, they can reduce their risk of pink eye by following proper hygiene practices, like washing their hands before inserting and removing lenses and replacing lenses regularly.

How to get rid of pink eye​

Pink eye typically resolves on its own within 7 to 10 days. But it’s important to seek guidance from a doctor to determine whether or not treatment is needed.

It may also be helpful to apply a cool compress and use artificial tears on the affected eye. Individuals who wear eye makeup or contact lenses should discontinue use until the condition has resolved.

Some home treatments for pink eye may not be effective or can be harmful, such as Visine.

How long is pink eye contagious after starting drops?

Bacterial pink eye can be contagious up to 48 hours after starting treatment with antibiotic drops. Viral pink eye is contagious as long as the person still has symptoms.

It’s important to note that antibiotic eye drops will not help with viral pink eye. And antiviral medications are not effective in resolving bacterial pink eye.

Artificial tears and allergy eye drops that contain antihistamines won’t stop bacterial or viral pink eye from spreading. This is because they aren’t made to kill contagious pathogens.

How to avoid pink eye if your child has it

Here are some tips for avoiding catching pink eye from a child:

  • Encourage children to wash their hands often with soap and water (especially after touching their eyes).
  • Remind everyone (including children) not to share towels, washcloths and pillowcases if someone has pink eye in the household.
  • Clean and disinfect surfaces that get touched a lot (like doorknobs, light switches and countertops).
  • Ask children to avoid rubbing or touching their eyes if they can.
  • Offer children tissues to help them wipe away discharge and tears.
  • For children who wear glasses, make sure they clean them daily.
  • Wash hands before and after using eye drops for your child, and don’t share the eye drops.

When to see a doctor for pink eye

While pink eye is usually temporary and doesn’t typically cause vision loss, a person should see a physician if they have any of the following symptoms:

  • Very red eyes
  • Eye pain
  • Light sensitivity
  • Blurred vision, even after discharge is wiped away
  • Symptoms that don’t ease or worsen
  • Bacterial pink eye that doesn’t get better after 24 hours of taking antibiotics
  • A lot of discharge

Infants, those with a weakened immune system, and adults who believe their pink eye may have been caused by an STD should also see a doctor for pink eye.

Takeaway

The contagiousness of pink eye can vary. Allergic pink eye isn’t contagious at all, while pink eye caused by a virus or bacteria can be contagious for as long as a person has symptoms, and even before the symptoms start.

Antibacterial eye drops can reduce the time during which bacterial pink eye is contagious. Bacterial pink eye will be contagious for up to 48 hours after antibiotic eye drops are started.

Viral pink eye will be contagious for as long as symptoms persist.

Wash hands frequently and take other precautions to help avoid spreading pink eye. Seek medical care if symptoms are severe, don’t go away or worsen.

At Crystal Run Healthcare our primary care team includes Family Medicine physicians and advanced practice clinicians who are trained to care for all members of the family through every stage of life, from infancy to advanced age. Our family medicine providers advocate for their patients and focus on preventive medicine. By monitoring their patients’ health closely year after year, family doctors are often able to help prevent the onset of diseases that have a genetic component, such as high cholesterol, obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.