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Antibiotic eyedrops or ointments

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.

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

WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise

Last Updated: December 06, 2007

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information.