Eye Infections
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Summary
Your eyes can get infections from bacteria, fungi, or viruses. Eye infections can occur in different parts of the eye and can affect just one eye or both. Two common eye infections are
- Conjunctivitis - also known as pinkeye. Conjunctivitis is often due to an infection. Children frequently get it, and it is very contagious.
- Stye - a bump on the eyelid that happens when bacteria from your skin get into the hair follicle of an eyelash.
Symptoms of eye infections may include redness, itching, swelling, discharge, pain, or problems with vision. Treatment depends on the cause of the infection and may include compresses, eye drops, creams, or antibiotics.
Symptoms
- Eye Symptoms (American Academy of Ophthalmology) Also in Spanish
Diagnosis and Tests
- Dilating Eye Drops (American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus)
Treatments and Therapies
- How to Use Eye Drops Properly (American Society of Health-System Pharmacists)
- How to Use Eye Ointments and Gels Properly (American Society of Health-System Pharmacists)
Related Issues
- Contact Lens-Related Eye Infections (American Academy of Ophthalmology) Also in Spanish
-
Histoplasmosis
(National Eye Institute)
- Inflammation of the Orbit (Merck & Co., Inc.) Also in Spanish
- Trichiasis (Merck & Co., Inc.) Also in Spanish
Specifics
- Acanthamoeba Keratitis FAQs (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Bacterial Keratitis (American Academy of Ophthalmology) Also in Spanish
-
Blepharitis
(National Eye Institute)
- Cellulitis (American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus)
- Dacryocystitis (Merck & Co., Inc.) Also in Spanish
- Endophthalmitis (Merck & Co., Inc.)
- Fungal Keratitis (American Academy of Ophthalmology) Also in Spanish
- Herpes Keratitis (American Academy of Ophthalmology) Also in Spanish
- Shingles (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
- Sty (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
Images
- Blepharitis (Logical Images)
Clinical Trials
-
ClinicalTrials.gov: Eye Infections
(National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Povidone-iodine concentration and in vitro killing time of bacterial corneal...
- Article: Genotypic diversity of Acanthamoeba strains isolated from Chilean patients with...
- Article: Coinfections and differential diagnosis in immunocompetent patients with uveitis of...
- Eye Infections -- see more articles
Reference Desk
- Glossary of Terms (Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology)
-
NEI for Kids: Glossary
(National Eye Institute)
Find an Expert
Children
-
About the Eye
(National Eye Institute)
- Eye Infections (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish
- Molluscum Contagiosum (American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus)
Teenagers
-
Colored Contact Lens Dangers
(American Academy of Ophthalmology)
Also in Spanish
Women
- Using Eye Makeup (American Academy of Ophthalmology) Also in Spanish
Patient Handouts
- Blepharitis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Corneal ulcers and infections (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Cytomegalovirus retinitis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Dacryoadenitis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Endophthalmitis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Eye burning - itching and discharge (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Eye redness (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Meibomianitis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Orbital cellulitis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Parinaud oculoglandular syndrome (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Periorbital cellulitis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish