Get online treatment for pink eye in a blink

Reviewed by Theresa H. Care Delivery Manager & Family Nurse Practitioner

Time saver 3 min read

You wake up in the morning and rub the sleep from your eyes, but something doesn’t feel right. Why is your eye so itchy and crusty? It almost feels like there’s sand in it. Or you pick your child up from daycare and they run up to you rubbing their eyes. Upon closer inspection, you notice that they look red and goopy.

Yep, that’s right, it’s pink eye! But fear not. Whether you or your child are affected, you can get online treatment for pink eye. Keep reading to learn more about this common eye condition, simple at-home care tips and how to quickly clear up pink eye.

What causes pink eye?

As the name suggests, the telltale sign of pink eye is a reddish or pinkish tint to the eye. In addition to this hallmark symptom, some people may experience other eye symptoms.

Pink eye symptoms

  • Irritation, itching or burning
  • A gritty or scratchy feeling
  • Discharge or crust around the affected eye(s)
  • Increased tear production
  • Swelling and redness

While pink eye symptoms can be really uncomfortable, thankfully it’s a relatively harmless condition. Plus, cases of bacterial pink eye are easy to treat with antibiotic eye drops.

How can I get treatment for pink eye?

If left untreated, pink eye will typically go away on its own within in a week or two. But, let’s be honest, no one wants to walk around with red, itchy, swollen and goopy eyes for that long. The good news is that there are things you can do to relieve symptoms while you get pink eye treatment online and heal up.

Viral pink eye is caused by a virus so it can’t be treated with antibiotics. For this type of pink eye, treatment usually focuses on managing symptoms while your immune system works its healing magic. Whether your pink eye is viral or bacterial, the following tips and advice can help ease uncomfortable symptoms.

Pink eye at-home care tips

Give artificial tears a try

No, we don’t mean the anti-redness eye drops – those will sting! We’re talking about lubricating artificial tears that can help soothe discomfort.

Apply a warm compress

Run a clean washcloth under warm water for a couple of seconds, ring it out well and hold that over the affected eye to soften and remove crusty discharge from your eye. Just be sure to use a clean washcloth each application.

Take an over-the-counter pain reliever

Ibuprofen or acetaminophen can help quiet discomfort.

Avoid contacts and cosmetics

Anything that irritates your eyes could prolong recovery. Skip the mascara and opt for your eye glasses while you heal.

Online treatment for pink eye

Thankfully, pink eye is easy to diagnose and treat and doesn’t require an in-person clinic visit.

At the first tinge of pink and goop, visit Virtuwell’s online clinic, answer a few questions about your or your child’s medical history and upload a photo of the affected eye. A certified nurse practitioner will review your information and provide a personalized treatment plan. If needed, they’ll send a prescription for antibiotic eye drops to your preferred pharmacy.

How to prevent spreading pink eye?

If someone in your household has pink eye, the biggest concern is preventing its spread to others in your home or at school or work. To be safe, take the following precautions.

Stop the spread

Don’t touch your eyes

We know it’s hard! Especially when your eyes are so itchy. Do you best to distract yourself and keep your hands away from your face.

Wash your hands frequently

Even when you’re trying to avoid touching your eyes, you might accidently slip up. Keep washing your hands to prevent spreading it to someone else.

Don’t share towels or washcloths

Use separate towels and washcloths from the rest of your family, and use a fresh one every day to prevent re-infecting yourself or your other eye.

Change pillowcases

That goop and crust build up at night. Swap out your pillowcases often while you’re recovering.

Throw away cosmetics

Any mascara, eyeliner or contact lenses you or your family member used before a pink eye diagnosis should be tossed to prevent reinfection.

Get rid of pink eye

Pink eye can be super uncomfortable and annoying. The good news is that there’s no need to suffer through it. Get pink eye treatment in a blink online today and feel better, faster.

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