Pinkeye in Adult, How Long to Clear Up?

Updated on April 26, 2012
M.B. asks from Milwaukee, WI
9 answers

Hi, y'all. I have a question. I had a red, inflamed itchy eye Thursday morning and called in sick.. Thankfully my preschool daughter didn't catch it. She and I went to the doctor and the doc said it was pinkeye and prescribed sulfacetamide sodium opthalmic solution 10% and told me to stay home from work for the day. I went back to work yesterday feeling a little better but my eye still looked horrible (I hid behind my eyeglasses and was reassured by the doc that I wasn't contagious after a day on the eyedrtops.) Now it's the next day and my eye doesn't look or feel any better than it did on Thursaday, in fact it looks a little more swollen. So my question is this, any of you adults that have had pinkeye, how long did it take for you to get better? Should I be worried or does it take more than three days to feel better? I really want to be better by tomorrow because my daughter has a playdate and we don't want to miss it. Many thanks for any advice you have for me. *Peace*! :)

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So What Happened?

Hi y'all! Thanks so much for the helpful advice (the warm salt water compress made me feel a little better at first) Here's what happened. It's been a week since my right eye flared up. I took the sulfacetamide sodium eye drops for 4 days with no improvement. Monday the redness and itching got so bad I called the clinic and they got me a different prescription (Gentamicin) and was told that if I didn't improve in 2 days to see an opthamologist. Tuesday I felt worse and said "I'm not waiting!" so I found an opthamologist who looked at my eye and said I was most likely allergic to the first eye drops. He prescribed TobraDex eye drops and in less than a day I began to feel better. Now I have to be on the drops for an additional week but I'm definitely beginning to feel better. Many thanks to you all for your good help. *peace*!

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R.M.

answers from Cumberland on

Hot compresses several times a day with a clean washcloth each time. Also, if eyedrops aren't clearing up the pink eye-maybe it's an allergy-worst pollen season in a long time due to the early, warm spring!

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R.J.

answers from Seattle on

Mine have always cleared up in 24 hours or less, but I also make sure cigarette smoke is blown directly into my eye at least once an hour. That's a backcountry/in the field trick for nearly any eye infection.

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R.P.

answers from Denver on

It took my husband about a week to start feeling better and about 2 weeks to really feel all the way better. Hope it doesn't take you that long. Good luck.

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J.C.

answers from Philadelphia on

I was diagnosed with pink eye once. I had no improvement or relief with the prescription eye drops after about 1 wk. It turned out it was a result of allergies although the morning I woke up with it I had horrible pressure in my sinus on the side of my effected eye. After 3 doctors appointment, my eye doc gave me allergy drops for the eye and it cleared up.
Feel better.

1 mom found this helpful

B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

To help things along, keep your eye cool.
Put a cold pack over your eye, on again and off again every 10 or so minutes.
We use a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a damp wash cloth.
With pink eye you don't want warm/hot anything on your eye.
It increases blood flow in the area and makes the itching worse.

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L.L.

answers from Orlando on

for me, when i had it........ it looked noticeable better within 48 hours of using the eye drops. if it's been 3 days and it's still not clearing up, i'd go back.

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J.P.

answers from Lakeland on

I would also use a warm salt water compress, this will help draw out any infection. Everyone is different when it comes to healing but if it still seems bad tomorrow I would call the doctor back.

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J.N.

answers from Madison on

Hello, I had it back in January and it took at least a week to clear up and then when it cleared up in one eye it moved to the other. If the drops don't work they can prescripe an ointment which seemed to work better. If it is viral it will take longer to go away.

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G.B.

answers from Oklahoma City on

Use a cold rag and lay back, let it help reduce the inflammation.

Take several showers a day to wash any irritants off your face, hair, and skin.

Your eyes are very sensitive right now and allergens are super high. They will keep the eye looking red and irritated due to it's susceptibility.

1 mom found this helpful
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