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Does Pink Eye Go Away on Its Own?

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Pink eye is as common as it is annoying. Not only are the symptoms uncomfortable but, because pink eye is very contagious, it means taking time off work or pulling your kids out of school until your symptoms pass. That leaves a lot of people wondering: Will pink eye go away on its own or should I seek out medical care?

The answer is often yes and yes. While pink eye infections can heal on their own, seeing our team at Benjamin Optical can shorten your downtime to just a few days. Plus, we offer convenient pink eye care at all of our offices throughout New York City.

To help you determine if it’s worth paying us a visit, let’s look at the general healing timeline for pink eye.

Pink eye recovery times

In most cases, pink eye will go away on its own. Whether it’s caused by a viral or bacterial infection, your body can usually successfully fight it if given enough time.

With a viral infection, which usually starts with a cold and causes watery discharge from one or both eyes, most people usually beat the infection within 14 days. With bacterial pink eye, which causes pus that can make your eyes stick closed, it usually takes the body about 10 days to fight the infection.

All this said, more serious infections might require medical care. Don’t wait to see a doctor if you notice:

  • Blurry vision
  • Eye pain
  • Light sensitivity
  • Worsening symptoms

Also, if you know you have a weak immune system, come see our team. Your body may not be able to fight the viral or bacterial infection on its own.

Treating pink eye

While most cases of pink eye will go away within a couple of weeks, you’re contagious as long as you have symptoms. The same goes for your kids. To prevent spreading the infection to others, you need to stay home from work or keep your children home from school.

Most families can’t accommodate two unplanned weeks at home. So although pink eye usually clears on its own, you may still want to seek out treatment. The right care will clear up your symptoms faster, allowing your family to get back to their normal schedule more quickly.

Here at Benjamin Optical, our team can diagnose the type of pink eye affecting your family (viral vs. bacterial) and prescribe the right medication to clear it up.

Long story short, you don’t necessarily need to see a doctor about your pink eye, but doing so can shorten your downtime. If you or one of your children has pink eye, call any of our offices or book the earliest available appointment online today to get started with the right treatment to fight your infection fast.