Knowledge Centre
Providing rapid medical guidance and expert health insights for informational purposes. Our guides come from a Harley Street clinic, but they do not replace a professional consultation.
Eye infections: types, treatment and when to see a GP
Written by Mr Stephen Lingam · Reviewed by Dr Mohammad Bakhtiar (GMC 4694470) on 25/09/2026
Key takeaways
- Most eye infections are conjunctivitis, and most clear within one to two weeks.
- A thick yellow-green discharge points to bacteria; a watery one, often with a cold, points to a virus.
- Pharmacies sell chloramphenicol eye drops for adults and children aged 2 and over.
- A private GP appointment at 117a Harley Street is £150, with an eye examination and a prescription if you need one.
- Pain, blurred vision, light sensitivity or a red eye in a contact lens wearer should be seen the same day.
You woke up with your eyelids stuck together, or one eye has turned pink and gritty since yesterday. Perhaps you wear contact lenses and the eye has started to ache.
Most of the time this is conjunctivitis, an infection of the thin layer that covers the white of the eye and the inside of the eyelids. It looks alarming, but it rarely causes lasting harm and usually settles within a week or two.
If you'd like it looked at today, a private GP at our Harley Street clinic can examine your eye and prescribe drops if they'll help. Same-day appointments are often available, and the consultation is £150.
One thing worth knowing up front: the discharge tells you most of the story. Thick, yellow-green and crusting suggests bacteria. Watery, with a cold or sore throat, suggests a virus, and antibiotics do nothing for that.
Is it bacterial, viral or allergic?
The type of conjunctivitis decides what helps, so it's worth matching your symptoms to the pattern below. In practice the lines blur, which is where an examination is useful.
Common causes of a red, sore or sticky eye
| Type | What you notice | Usually lasts | What helps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bacterial conjunctivitis | Red eye, thick yellow-green discharge, lids crusted shut in the morning. Often starts in one eye and spreads to the other within a day or two. | 5 to 7 days | Cleaning the lids. Chloramphenicol drops can speed recovery and shorten the time you're contagious. |
| Viral conjunctivitis | Watery discharge, usually both eyes, gritty feeling, some light sensitivity. Often comes with a cold, because adenoviruses cause both. | 1 to 2 weeks | Cold compresses, artificial tears and time. Antibiotics have no effect on a virus. |
| Allergic conjunctivitis | Intense itching and watering in both eyes, pink rather than angry red, no discharge. Triggered by pollen, dust mites, animal dander or cosmetics. | As long as the trigger is around | Antihistamine drops, antihistamine tablets for hay fever, and avoiding the trigger. It isn't contagious. |
| Stye (hordeolum) | A painful red lump on the eyelid from an infected eyelash follicle or oil gland. | About a week | A warm compress for 5 to 10 minutes several times a day helps it drain. |
| Keratitis | Pain, reduced vision, light sensitivity, sometimes a white spot on the cornea. More likely in contact lens wearers. | Needs urgent treatment | Intensive antibiotic or antifungal drops prescribed by an ophthalmologist. |
Bacterial conjunctivitis often clears on its own within 5 to 7 days. Chloramphenicol drops are sold over the counter by pharmacies for adults and children aged 2 and over. For a younger child, a doctor should prescribe.
Viral conjunctivitis is highly contagious while it lasts. You're contagious for as long as the eye is producing discharge, so your own towel and pillowcase matter more than any drop.
If hay fever brings your eyes out every spring, an allergy assessment can identify the trigger so you can plan ahead.
Why is my eye red if it isn't an infection?
Plenty of red eyes have nothing to do with germs. The NHS lists several common causes worth knowing about, because they're treated differently.
- A burst blood vessel (subconjunctival haemorrhage): a bright red patch, often after coughing or straining. It looks dramatic, doesn't hurt and fades over a week or two.
- Contact lens irritation or dry eye: gritty and tired, often worse at the end of the day.
- Blepharitis: sore, crusty eyelid margins that come and go.
- Iritis or uveitis: an aching eye, light sensitivity and blurred vision. This needs an eye specialist the same day.
- Acute glaucoma: a painful red eye with blurred vision, haloes around lights, headache or vomiting. This is an emergency.
When to be seen the same day
Book the same day, or call us on 0207 499 1991, if you notice any of these:
- pain in the eye, rather than irritation or grittiness
- reduced or blurred vision
- sensitivity to light (photophobia)
- a white spot on the coloured part of the eye (the cornea)
- a red eye while you wear contact lenses
- symptoms that haven't improved after a week of treatment
These can point to keratitis or another condition that needs a specialist. For severe pain, sudden loss of vision or an eye infection in a newborn baby, Moorfields Eye Hospital runs a 24-hour eye A&E at 162 City Road, London EC1V 2PD.
Looking after a mild eye infection at home
For straightforward conjunctivitis, clean the eye gently with cotton wool soaked in cooled boiled water. Wipe from the inner corner outwards, with a fresh pad for each wipe and each eye, then wash your hands.
Leave contact lenses out until the infection has fully cleared. Keep your own towels, flannels and pillowcases, and try to keep your hands away from your eyes. Replace any eye make-up you used while the eye was infected.
If a stye isn't settling after a week, or the swelling spreads beyond the eyelid, book a GP. A stye occasionally needs antibiotics or minor drainage, and it's best left to drain by itself rather than squeezed.
What happens at a GP appointment
A private GP appointment at 117a Harley Street costs £150. Your GP examines both eyes, works out which type of infection you have and prescribes antibiotic drops or ointment if they'll help.
If the GP suspects keratitis or another condition that needs specialist input, they'll refer you to ophthalmology directly with a referral letter. If you're unsure whether your symptoms need a GP at all, our guide on when to see a private GP walks through the common situations.
If you wear contact lenses and your eye is red and painful, come in the same day.
Mr Stephen Lingam
Managing Director
Executive leadership
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell if my eye infection is bacterial or viral?
Bacterial conjunctivitis usually produces a thick yellow-green discharge that crusts the eyelids shut overnight. Viral conjunctivitis causes a watery discharge and often comes with a cold or sore throat. Both make the eye red, and the difference isn't always clear-cut, which is when a GP examination helps.
Do I need antibiotic eye drops?
Not always. Most conjunctivitis clears within 1 to 2 weeks on its own. Antibiotic drops can shorten bacterial conjunctivitis by a day or two and reduce the time you're contagious, but they do nothing for viral conjunctivitis, so your GP will advise based on the type you have.
Can I buy antibiotic eye drops from a pharmacy?
Yes, pharmacies sell chloramphenicol antibiotic drops and ointment for adults and children aged 2 and over. A child under 2 needs a doctor to assess the eye and prescribe.
Is conjunctivitis contagious?
Yes, both bacterial and viral conjunctivitis are contagious. They spread through eye discharge on hands, towels and pillowcases, so wash your hands often, keep your own towels and try not to touch your eyes. You're contagious as long as the eye is discharging.
Should I go to A&E for an eye infection?
Go to an eye A&E if you have severe eye pain, sudden loss or blurring of vision, sensitivity to light, a white spot on the cornea, or a red, painful eye while wearing contact lenses. In London, Moorfields Eye Hospital on City Road runs a 24-hour eye A&E.
How much does a GP appointment for an eye infection cost?
A private GP appointment at 117a Harley Street is £150. It includes an eye examination, a diagnosis and a prescription for drops or ointment if you need one, and same-day appointments are often available.
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