Red Eye without Pus
Symptom Definition
- Redness or pinkness of the white of the eye (sclera) and inner eyelids
- May have increased tearing (watery eye)
- No pus or other discharge
- Main cause: viral infection (part of a cold)
- Other common causes: allergic conjunctivitis from pollens or chemical conjunctivitis from irritants (e.g., chlorinated pool water, smoke, smog or sunscreen).
See More Appropriate Topic
- If feels like something got in eye, see Foreign Body in Eye
- If yellow or green pus in eye, see Eye Pus or Drainage
- If main symptom is itchy eyes, see Eye Allergy
Call Your Doctor Now (night or day) If
- Your child looks or acts very sick
- Eyelid is very red or very swollen
- Constant tearing or blinking
- Eye pain or blurred vision
- Age less then 12 weeks with fever > 100.4°F (38°C) rectally
- Age < 1 month old (newborn)
- Only 1 eye is red and present for > 24 hours
Call Your Doctor Within 24 Hours (between 9 and 4) If
- You think your child needs to be seen
Call Your Doctor During Weekday Office Hours If
- You have other questions or concerns
Parent Care at Home If
- Red eye as part of a cold (viral conjunctivitis) and you don’t think your child needs to be seen
- Red eye caused by mild irritant (e.g. soap, sunscreen, food) and you don’t think your child needs to be seen
Home Care Advice for Viral Eye Infections
- Eye Cleansing: Cleanse eyelids with warm water and a clean cotton ball at least every 1 to 2 hours while your child is awake and at home. This usually will keep a bacterial infection from occurring.
- Eye Drops: Neither antibiotic nor vasoconstrictor eye drops help viral eye infections.
- Contacts: Children with contact lenses need to switch to glasses temporarily. (Reason: to prevent damage to the cornea)
- Contagiousness: Pink eye with a watery discharge is harmless and mildly contagious. Children with viral conjunctivitis do not need to miss any day care or school.
- Expected Course: Pink eye with a cold usually lasts about 7 days.
- Call Your Doctor If
- Yellow or green discharge develops
- Redness lasts > 1 week
- Your child becomes worse or develops any of the “Call Your Doctor” symptoms
Home Care Advice for Mild Irritants
(e.g., smoke, smog, chlorine, perfume, food, soap, sunscreen)
- Face Cleansing: Wash the face, then the eyelids, with a mild soap and water. This will remove any irritants.
- Eye Irrigation: Irrigate the eye with warm water for 5 minutes.
- Vasoconstrictor Eye Drops: Red eyes from irritants usually feel much better after the irritant has been washed out. If they remain uncomfortable and bloodshot, instill some long-acting vasoconstrictor eye drops (no prescription needed). Use 2 drops every 6 to 8 hours as necessary.
- Expected Course: After removal of the irritant, the eyes usually return to normal color in 1 to 2 hours.
- Prevention: Try to avoid future exposure to the irritant.
- Call Your Doctor If
- Develops pus in the eye
- Redness lasts > 7 days
- Your child becomes worse or develops any of the “Call Your Doctor Now” symptoms