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Treating Ocular Infections

Medication

The treatment needed for an eye infection will depend on the type of infection you have. These are the most common remedies recommended for the various infection types:

Allergic: Antihistamine medication, antihistamine eye drops or mast cell inhibitor eye drops¹
Bacterial: Antibacterial eye drops and/or oral antibiotics²
Fungal: Antifungal eye drops or oral antifungal medication³
Viral: Antiviral eye drops, topical ointment or oral medication⁴

Some symptoms might need other types of treatments, like injections or steroid medications (oral, topical or eye drops) to relieve inflammation.^4-6

Surgery

Rarely, if an eye infection becomes very severe, surgery is needed to help relieve pressure in the eyes.⁶

Self-care

During your treatment, your eye care professional might also suggest using an eyelid wash⁷ or a warm compress⁸ to help with your symptoms.

Self-care directions for a warm eyelid soak:⁷

Wash your hands thoroughly

Fill a basin or bowl with warm water and mix in a small amount of lid-wash solution recommended by an eye care professional

Close one eye and use a clean cloth to gently rub the solution back and forth across your eyelashes and the edge of your eyelid

Rinse your eye well with clear water

Repeat with your other eye, using a new clean cloth

Self-care directions for a warm eye compress:⁸

Wash your hands thoroughly

Dip a clean, soft cloth in warm water and wring it out

Place the moist cloth gently over your eyelids for 10 minutes

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IMPORTANT: Always use your eye medications correctly, as instructed by your eye care professional or pharmacist.⁹ Never share eye drops with someone else.⁹

Find more resources here for dealing with different types of ocular infections and for information on how to use your eye drops effectively.