How Can I Stop the Spread of Pink Eye?

Follow these to prevent the spread of pink eye: 1. Avoid touching or rubbing your eyes 2. Do not share cosmetics, eye care items, towels, pillows, contact lenses, and eyeglasses 3 . Wash your hands thoroughly before and after touching your eyes 4. Do not wear eye makeup 5. Use a clean towel and washcloth daily

How Can I Manage the Discomfort from Pink Eye?

To manage your discomfort, you should: 1. Use a cold compress or artificial tears to soothe the dryness and inflammation 2. Stop wearing contact lenses until the infection is gone

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Pink Eye (Conjunctivitis) Treatment, Orange County, CA

Pink eye, also known as conjunctivitis, is an eye infection that can be caused by allergies, viruses, or bacteria. Allergic conjunctivitis is not contagious, whereas viral and bacterial conjunctivitis are. However, with proper treatment, pink eyes can resolve quickly.

At Family Care Centers’ urgent care clinics in Irvine, Fountain Valley, and Costa Mesa, you will get immediate care for conjunctivitis and other common eye infections. Services DAILY (for Costa Mesa, it’s Monday through Friday) and provide:

Open every day (our Costa Mesa facility to be open daily starting January 2022)
Onsite lab and X-ray facilities for in-depth and quick diagnosis
Online check-in facilities to reduce wait times
Board-certified and experienced medical providers
Friendly and compassionate on-board staff
Virtual visits are available to ensure easier follow-up care
Free parking

Reserve Your Spot Now!

What Are the Possible Reasons for Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye)?

Pink eye can be caused by:

Bacteria
Viruses, most commonly those that cause the common cold
Irritants, such as dirt, smoke, shampoo, and pool chlorine
Allergies to dust, smoke, contact lenses, make-up, or pollen

What Does Pink Eye Look Like?

This condition makes the white area of the eye turn red/pink and causes symptoms such as:

Swelling of the eyelids and a reddened/bloodshot appearance
Excess tear production
Pain in the eyes
Burning or itching sensation
Light sensitivity
Discharge around the eyelids
Blurred vision
Gritty eyes
Difficulty wearing contact lenses
Constant urge to rub eyes

When Should You See a Healthcare Provider for Pink Eye?

Sometimes, the pink eye will heal on its own. However, you should seek professional help if you have:

Intense redness or pain in the eyes
Noticed pink eye symptoms in newborns
Persistent blurred vision
Experienced pink eye symptoms after wearing contact lenses or scratching your eyes
Difficulty seeing
Worsened symptoms
Light sensitivity
Discharge from the eye
A compromised immune system due to HIV infection, cancer treatment, or other medical conditions
Other infection symptoms, including fever and chills

How Do We Treat Pink Eye at Our Urgent Care Clinics?

Pink eye treatment at our urgent care clinics includes these steps:

Diagnosis

Experiencing red, swollen, or irritated eyes does not always mean you have conjunctivitis. These may be caused by seasonal allergies, inflammation of the gland along the eyelid, or skin infection along the eyelid. To confirm your diagnosis we will:

Examine your eyes
Review a detailed history of your symptoms

Prescription

Depending on the cause of your infection, we can prescribe:

Risk factors for developing a chest cold include:

Eye drops
Antibiotics
Antiviral medication

Pink Eye Treatment FAQs

Some over-the-counter eye drops may help ease your symptoms. However, you should see a healthcare provider to determine the root cause of the symptoms, some of which can be serious infections that can threaten your vision.

Usually, pink eyes do not cause long-term complications. In rare cases, however, it can lead to chronic cornea inflammation, causing permanent vision problems. You should see an eye care specialist if your pink eye does not resolve or gets worse even after the treatment.

No! You should not go to school or work until your pink eye symptoms subside; viruses that are a common cause of pink eye are highly contagious.

Follow these to prevent the spread of pink eye:

Avoid touching or rubbing your eyes
Do not share cosmetics, eye care items, towels, pillows, contact lenses, and eyeglasses
Wash your hands thoroughly before and after touching your eyes
Do not wear eye makeup
Use a clean towel and washcloth daily

To manage your discomfort, you should:

Use a cold compress or artificial tears to soothe the dryness and inflammation
Stop wearing contact lenses until the infection is gone

If your pink eye symptoms are worsening, you can visit one of our urgent care clinics in Irvine, Fountain Valley, and Costa Mesa to get properly diagnosed for your condition and complication, and to get treated. Call us to book an appointment or reserve your spot online by clicking on the button in the location boxes below!