If you are interested in pink eye medication, you should know that not every case of this condition is eligible for it. In fact, only a few types can be helped by pink eye medication, which means that you may need to seek other kinds of treatment. Find out if the kind of pink eye you have is treatable with medication from the doctor.
Medication for Contagious Pink Eye
Bacterial pink eye can be treated with drugs from the doctor. Most patients are prescribed either antibiotic eye drops or ointment, which should be applied until they are used up, even if the symptoms have gone away. This will help ensure that the infection does not come right back.
Unfortunately, viral pink eye is not treatable by medication, just like the common cold, which is also caused by a virus. Instead, you will just need to wait for it to subside on its own, usually within three weeks. If it is determined that your infection was caused by herpes simplex, however, you might be given an antiviral medication.
Pink Eye Medication for Other Forms
If you have allergic conjunctivitis, it can be treated with various drugs, either given by doctors or purchased over the counter at the store. The most common types include steroids, antihistamines, anti-inflammatory eye drops, and decongestants. Your doctor can let you know the pros and cons of each allergic pink eye medication so that you both can decide which one is best for you.
If you have chemical pink eye, you do not usually needs eye drops or other medication to cure it. Instead, it should go away as long as you avoid the chemical, though your doctor may recommend an eyewash to make sure it is flushed out of your eyes. You may be tempted to use eye drops that are meant to take the red of out your eyes, but they just constrict the blood vessels. This not only does not get rid of the problem, but also may cause more harm than good, so be sure to go to your doctor to get the proper pink eye medication.