Acute conjunctivitis

References

Key articles

American Academy of Ophthalmology. Conjunctivitis preferred practice pattern. Nov 2018 [internet publication].Full text

Castillo M, Scott NW, Mustafa MZ, et al. Topical antihistamines and mast cell stabilisers for treating seasonal and perennial allergic conjunctivitis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015 Jun 1;(6):CD009566.Full text  Abstract

Chen YY, Liu SH, Nurmatov U, et al. Antibiotics versus placebo for acute bacterial conjunctivitis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2023 Mar 13;3(3):CD001211.Full text  Abstract

Reference articles

1. American Academy of Ophthalmology. Conjunctivitis preferred practice pattern. Nov 2018 [internet publication].Full text

2. Shields T, Sloan PD. A comparison of eye problems in primary care and ophthalmology practices. Fam Med. 1991 Sep-Oct;23(7):544-6. Abstract

3. Manners T. Managing eye conditions in general practice. BMJ. 1997 Sep 27;315(7111):816-7. Abstract

4. Royal College of General Practitioners, Royal College of Ophthalmologists. Ophthalmology for general practice trainees. London: Medical Protection Society; 2001.

5. Rietveld RP, ter Riet G, Bindels PJ, et al. Do general practitioners adhere to the guideline on infectious conjunctivitis? Results of the Second Dutch National Survey of General Practice. BMC Fam Pract. 2007 Sep 16;8:54.Full text  Abstract

6. Dart JK, Buckley RJ, Monnickendan M, et al. Perennial allergic conjunctivitis: definition, clinical characteristics and prevalence. A comparison with seasonal allergic conjunctivitis. Trans Ophthalmol Soc UK. 1986;105(Pt 5):513-20. Abstract

7. Ono SJ, Abelson MB. Allergic conjunctivitis: update on pathophysiology and prospects for future treatment. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2005 Jan;115(1):118-22. Abstract

8. Buckley RJ. Allergic eye disease: a clinical challenge. Clin Exp Allergy. 1998 Dec;28 Suppl 6:39-43. Abstract

9. Bielory L. Differential diagnoses of conjunctivitis for clinical allergist-immunologists. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2007 Feb;98(2):105-14; quiz 114-7, 152. Abstract

10. Choi SH, Bielory L. Late-phase reaction in ocular allergy. Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol. 2008 Oct;8(5):438-44. Abstract

11. Meltzer EO, Farrar JR, Sennett C. Findings from an online survey assessing the burden and management of seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis in US patients. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2017 May-Jun;5(3):779-89.e6.Full text  Abstract

12. Stenson S, Newman R, Fedukowicz H. Laboratory studies in acute conjunctivitis. Arch Ophthalmology. 1982 Aug;100(8):1275-7. Abstract

13. Weiss A, Brinser J, Nazar-Stewart V. Acute conjunctivitis in childhood. J Pediatr Med. 1993 Jan;122(1):10-4. Abstract

14. Gigliotti F, Williams WT, Hayden FG. Etiology of acute conjunctivitis in children. J Pediatr. 1981 Apr;98(4):531-6. Abstract

15. Fitch CP, Rapoza PA, Owens S. Epidemiology and diagnosis of acute conjunctivitis at an inner-city hospital. Ophthalmology. 1989 Aug;96(8):1215-20. Abstract

16. Sambursky RP, Fram N, Cohen EJ. The prevalence of adenoviral conjunctivitis at the Wills Eye Hospital emergency room. Optometry. 2007 May;78(5):236-9. Abstract

17. Azari AA, Barney NP. Conjunctivitis: a systematic review of diagnosis and treatment. JAMA. 2013 Oct 23;310(16):1721-9.Full text  Abstract

18. Choi CJ, Jakobiec FA, Zakka FR, et al. Conjunctival squamous cell neoplasia associated with ocular cicatricial pemphigoid. Ophthalmic Plast Reconstr Surg. 2017 Nov/Dec;33(6):e157-60.Full text  Abstract

19. Ullman S, Roussel TJ, Culbertson WW, et al. Neisseria gonorrhoeae keratoconjunctivitis. Ophthalmology. 1987 May;94(5):525-31. Abstract

20. American Academy of Ophthalmology. Understanding antibiotic resistance and eye infections. Sep 2014 [internet publication].Full text

21. Kinchington PR, Turse SE, Kowalski RP, et al. Use of polymerase chain amplification reaction for the detection of adenoviruses in ocular swab specimens. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1994 Nov;35(12):4126-34. Abstract

22. Gordon YJ, Gordon RY, Romanowski E, et al. Prolonged recovery of desiccated adenoviral serotypes 5, 8, and 19 from plastic and metal surfaces in vitro. Ophthalmology. 1993 Dec;100(12):1835-9; discussion 1839-40. Abstract

23. Azar MJ, Dhaliwal DK, Bower KS, et al. Possible consequences of shaking hands with your patients with epidemic keratoconjunctivitis. Am J Ophthalmol. 1996 Jun;121(6):711-2. Abstract

24. Gupta S. Giant fornix syndrome. BMJ 2015 Dec 09;351:h6274.Full text

25. Dupuis P, Prokopich CL, Hynes A, et al. A contemporary look at allergic conjunctivitis. Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol. 2020;16:5.Full text  Abstract

26. O'Callaghan RJ. The pathogenesis of Staphylococcus aureus eye infections. Pathogens. 2018 Jan 10;7(1):9.Full text  Abstract

27. Chen R, Yang J, Zhang C, et al. Global associations of air pollution and conjunctivitis diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Sep 28;16(19):3652.Full text  Abstract

28. Kumar S. Vernal keratoconjunctivitis: a major review. Acta Ophthalmol. 2009 Mar;87(2):133-47.Full text  Abstract

29. American Academy of Ophthalmology. EyeWiki: vernal keratoconjunctivitis. Mar 2021 [internet publication].Full text

30. Lai NS, Tsai TY, Koo M, Lu MC. Association of rheumatoid arthritis with allergic diseases: a nationwide population-based cohort study. Allergy Asthma Proc. 2015 Sep-Oct;36(5):99-103. Abstract

31. Sambursky R, Trattler W, Tauber S, et al. Sensitivity and specificity of the AdenoPlus test for diagnosing adenoviral conjunctivitis. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2013 Jan;131(1):17-22. Abstract

32. Marey HM, Mandour SS, El Morsy OA, et al. Impact of vernal keratoconjunctivitis on school children in Egypt. Semin Ophthalmol. 2017;32(5):543-49. Abstract

33. American Academy of Ophthalmology. EyeWiki: conjunctivitis. Mar 2021 [internet publication].Full text

34. O'Brien TP, Jeng BH, McDonald M, et al. Acute conjunctivitis: truth and misconceptions. Curr Med Res Opin. 2009 Aug;25(8):1953-61. Abstract

35. Leibowitz HW, Pratt MV, Flagstad IJ, et al. Human conjunctivitis. I. Diagnostic evaluation. Arch Ophthalmol. 1976 Oct;94(10):1747-9. Abstract

36. Cheung D, Bremner J, Chan JT. Epidemic kerato-conjunctivitis: do outbreaks have to be epidemic? Eye (Lond). 2003 Apr;17(3):356-63. Abstract

37. Sambursky R, Tauber S, Schirra F, et al. The RPS adeno detector for diagnosing adenoviral conjunctivitis. Ophthalmology. 2006 Oct;113(10):1758-64. Abstract

38. Chien L, Llaues-Rodas R. Application of immunofluorescent staining technique to the study of pathogenesis and rapid diagnosis of viral infections. Am J Clin Pathol. 1972 Jun;57(6):829-34. Abstract

39. Van Rij G, Klepper L, Perkamp E, et al. Immune electron microscopy and a cultural test in the diagnosis of adenovirus ocular infection. Br J Ophthalmol. 1982 May;66(5):317-9. Abstract

40. Wadell G, Allard A, Hierholzer JC. Adenoviruses. In: Murray PR, Baron EJ, Pfaller MA, et al., eds. Manual of clinical microbiology. 7th ed. Washington, DC: American Society for Microbiology; 1999.

41. American Academy of Ophthalmology. Referral of persons with possible eye diseases or injury. Apr 2014 [internet publication].Full text

42. Adleberg JM, Wittwer C. Use of the polymerase chain reaction in the diagnosis of ocular disease. Curr Opin Ophthalmol. 1995 Jun;6(3):80-5. Abstract

43. Elnifro EM, Cooper RJ, Klapper PE, et al. Diagnosis of viral and chlamydial keratoconjunctivitis: which laboratory test? Br J Ophthalmol. 1999 May;83(5):622-7. Abstract

44. Elnifro EM, Cooper RJ, Klapper PE, et al. Multiplex polymerase chain reaction for diagnosis of viral and chlamydial keratoconjunctivitis. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2000 Jun;41(7):1818-22. Abstract

45. Leibowitz HM. The red eye. N Engl J Med. 2000 Aug 3;343(5):345-51. Abstract

46. Wirbelauer C. Management of the red eye for the primary care physician. Am J Med. 2006 Apr;119(4):302-6. Abstract

47. Bal SK, Hollingworth GR. Red eye. BMJ. 2005 Aug 20;331(7514):438.Full text  Abstract

48. Vafidis G. When is red eye not just conjunctivitis? Practitioner. 2002 Jul;246(1636):469-71, 474-5, 478-81. Abstract

49. Morrow GL, Abbott RL. Conjunctivitis. Am Fam Physician. 1998 Feb 15;57(4):735-46. Abstract

50. Weber CM, Eichenbaum JW. Acute red eye: differentiating viral conjunctivitis from other, less common causes. Postgrad Med J. 1997 May;101(5):185-96. Abstract

51. The College of Optometrists. Sub-conjunctival haemorrhage. Jul 2019 [internet publication].Full text

52. American Academy of Ophthalmology. Cornea/external disease summary benchmarks​. Dec 2022 [internet publication].Full text

53. American Academy of Ophthalmology. Pediatric eye evaluations preferred practice pattern. Dec 2022 [internet publication].Full text  Abstract

54. American Academy of Ophthalmology. Comprehensive adult medical eye evaluation preferred practice pattern®. Nov 2020 [internet publication].Full text

55. American Academy of Ophthalmology. ​Frequency of ocular examinations. Mar 2015 [internet publication].Full text

56. Castillo M, Scott NW, Mustafa MZ, et al. Topical antihistamines and mast cell stabilisers for treating seasonal and perennial allergic conjunctivitis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015 Jun 1;(6):CD009566.Full text  Abstract

57. Bonini S, Gramiccioni C, Bonini M, et al. Practical approach to diagnosis and treatment of ocular allergy: a 1-year systematic review. Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol. 2007 Oct;7(5):446-9. Abstract

58. Bielory L, Katelaris CH, Lightman S, et al. Treating the ocular component of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and related eye disorders. MedGenMed. 2007 Aug 15;9(3):35.Full text  Abstract

59. Abelson MB, Gomes PJ. Olopatadine 0.2% ophthalmic solution: the first ophthalmic antiallergy agent with once-daily dosing. Expert Opin Drug Metab Toxicol. 2008 Apr;4(4):453-61. Abstract

60. Gonzalez-Estrada A, Reddy K, Dimov V, et al. Olopatadine hydrochloride ophthalmic solution for the treatment of allergic conjunctivitis. Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2017 Aug;18(11):1137-43. Abstract

61. Kam KW, Chen LJ, Wat N, et al. Topical olopatadine in the treatment of allergic conjunctivitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Ocul Immunol Inflamm. 2017 Oct;25(5):663-77. Abstract

62. Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health. Olopatadine for the treatment of allergic conjunctivitis: a review of the clinical efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness. Mar 2012 [internet publication].Full text

63. Schechter BA. Ketorolac tromethamine 0.4% as a treatment for allergic conjuctivitis. Expert Opin Drug Metab Toxicol. 2008 Apr;4(4):507-11. Abstract

64. Gong L, Sun X, Qu J, et al. Loteprednol etabonate suspension 0.2% administered QID compared with olopatadine solution 0.1% administered BID in the treatment of seasonal allergic conjunctivitis: a multicenter, randomized, investigator-masked, parallel group study in Chinese patients. Clin Ther. 2012 Jun;34(6):1259-72. Abstract

65. Oner V, Türkcü FM, Taş M, et al. Topical loteprednol etabonate 0.5 % for treatment of vernal keratoconjunctivitis: efficacy and safety. Jpn J Ophthalmol. 2012 Jul;56(4):312-8. Abstract

66. Liu RF, Wu XX, Wang X, et al. Efficacy of olopatadine hydrochloride 0.1%, emedastine difumarate 0.05%, and loteprednol etabonate 0.5% for Chinese children with seasonal allergic conjunctivitis: a randomized vehicle-controlled study. Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. 2017 Apr;7(4):393-8.Full text  Abstract

67. Wartna JB, Bohnen AM, Elshout G, et al. Symptomatic treatment of pollen-related allergic rhinoconjunctivitis in children: randomized controlled trial. Allergy. 2017 Apr;72(4):636-44. Abstract

68. Mantelli F, Santos MS, Petitti T, et al. Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised clinical trials on topical treatments for vernal keratoconjunctivitis. Br J Ophthalmol. 2007 Dec;91(12):1656-61.Full text  Abstract

69. Swamy BN, Chilov M, McClellan K, et al. Topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in allergic conjunctivitis: meta-analysis of randomized trial data. Ophthalmic Epidemiol. 2007 Sep-Oct;14(5):311-9. Abstract

70. Takamura E, Uchio E, Ebihara N, et al; Japanese Society of Allergology. Japanese guidelines for allergic conjunctival diseases 2017. Allergol Int. 2017 Apr;66(2):220-9.Full text  Abstract

71. Berger WE, Granet DB, Kabat AG. Diagnosis and management of allergic conjunctivitis in pediatric patients. Allergy Asthma Proc. 2017 Jan 1;38(1):16-27. Abstract

72. Chen YY, Liu SH, Nurmatov U, et al. Antibiotics versus placebo for acute bacterial conjunctivitis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2023 Mar 13;3(3):CD001211.Full text  Abstract

73. Rose P. Management strategies for acute infective conjunctivitis in primary care: a systematic review. Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2007 Aug;8(12):1903-21. Abstract

74. Denis F, Chaumeil C, Goldschmidt P, et al. Microbiological efficacy of 3-day treatment with azithromycin 1.5% eye-drops for purulent bacterial conjunctivitis. Eur J Ophthalmol. 2008 Nov-Dec;18(6):858-68. Abstract

75. Abelson MB, Heller W, Shapiro AM, et al; AzaSite Clinical Study Group. Clinical cure of bacterial conjunctivitis with azithromycin 1%: vehicle-controlled, double-masked clinical trial. Am J Ophthalmol. 2008 Jun;145(6):959-65. Abstract

76. Protzko E, Bowman L, Abelson M, et al; AzaSite Clinical Study Group. Phase 3 safety comparisons for 1.0% azithromycin in polymeric mucoadhesive eye drops versus 0.3% tobramycin eye drops for bacterial conjunctivitis. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2007 Aug;48(8):3425-9.Full text  Abstract

77. American Academy of Ophthalmology. EyeWiki: bacterial conjunctivitis. Nov 2020 [internet publication].Full text

78. Mah F. Bacterial conjunctivitis in pediatrics and primary care. Pediatr Clin North Am. 2006 May;53 Suppl 1:7-10; quiz 11, 13-5. Abstract

79. Sheikh A, Hurwitz B. Topical antibiotics for acute bacterial conjunctivitis: a systematic review. Br J Gen Pract. 2001 Jun;51(467):473-7. Abstract

80. Alfonso E, Crider J. Ophthalmic infections and their anti-infective challenges. Surv Ophthalmol. 2005 Nov;50 Suppl 1:S1-6. Abstract

81. Silverstein BE, Morris TW, Gearinger LS, et al. Besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension 0.6% in the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis patients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections. Clin Ophthalmol. 2012;6:1987-96.Full text  Abstract

82. Karpecki P, Depaolis M, Hunter JA, et al. Besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension 0.6% in patients with bacterial conjunctivitis: a multicenter, prospective, randomized, double-masked, vehicle-controlled, 5-day efficacy and safety study. Clin Ther. 2009 Mar;31(3):514-26. Abstract

83. McDonald MB, Protzko EE, Brunner LS, et al. Efficacy and safety of besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension 0.6% compared with moxifloxacin ophthalmic solution 0.5% for treating bacterial conjunctivitis. Ophthalmology. 2009 Sep;116(9):1615-23.e1. Abstract

84. Tepedino ME, Heller WH, Usner DW, et al. Phase III efficacy and safety study of besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension 0.6% in the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis. Curr Med Res Opin. 2009 May;25(5):1159-69. Abstract

85. Sanfilippo CM, Allaire CM, DeCory HH. Besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension 0.6% compared with gatifloxacin ophthalmic solution 0.3% for the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis in neonates. Drugs R D. 2017 Mar;17(1):167-75.Full text  Abstract

86. O'Brien TP. Besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension, 0.6%: a novel topical fluoroquinolone for bacterial conjunctivitis. Adv Ther. 2012 Jun;29(6):473-90. Abstract

87. Haimovici R, Roussel TJ. Treatment of gonococcal conjunctivitis with single-dose intramuscular ceftriaxone. Am J Ophthalmol. 1989 May 15;107(5):511-4. Abstract

88. Kaufman HE. Ganciclovir: a promising topical antiviral gel for herpetic keratitis. Expert Rev Ophthal. 2009;4(4):367-75.Full text

89. Colin J. Ganciclovir ophthalmic gel, 0.15%: a valuable tool for treating ocular herpes. Clin Ophthalmol. 2007 Dec;1(4):441-53.Full text  Abstract

90. Dworkin RH, Johnson RW, Breuer J, et al. Recommendations for the management of herpes zoster. Clin Infect Dis. 2007 Jan 1;44 Suppl 1:S1-26.Full text  Abstract

91. The College of Optometrists. Ophthalmia neonatorum. Oct 2018 [internet publication].Full text

92. Recommendations for the prevention of neonatal ophthalmia. Paediatr Child Health. 2002 Sep;7(7):480-3.Full text  Abstract

93. Matejcek A, Goldman RD. Treatment and prevention of ophthalmia neonatorum. Can Fam Physician. 2013 Nov;59(11):1187-90.Full text  Abstract

94. Mahvan TD, Buckley WA, Hornecker JR. Alcaftadine for the prevention of itching associated with allergic conjunctivitis. Ann Pharmacother. 2012 Jul-Aug;46(7-8):1025-32. Abstract

95. D'Cruz OJ, Uckun FM. Stampidine: a selective oculo-genital microbicide. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2005 Jul;56(1):10-9. Abstract

96. Gordon YJ, Romanowski EG, McDermott AM. A review of antimicrobial peptides and their therapeutic potential as anti-infective drugs. Curr Eye Res. 2005 Jul;30(7):505-15. Abstract

97. Monnerat N, Bossart W, Thiel MA. Povidone-iodine for treatment of adenoviral conjunctivitis: an in vitro study [in German]. Klin Monbl Augenheilkd. 2006 May;223(5):349-52. Abstract

98. Isenberg SJ, Apt L, Valenton M, et al. A controlled trial of povidone-iodine to treat infectious conjunctivitis in children. Am J Ophthalmol. 2002 Nov;134(5):681-8. Abstract

99. Yazar H, Yarbag A, Balci M, et al. The effects of povidone iodine (pH 4.2) on patients with adenoviral conjunctivitis. J Pak Med Assoc. 2016 Aug;66(8):968-70. Abstract

100. Pelletier JS, Stewart K, Trattler W, et al. A combination povidone-iodine 0.4%/dexamethasone 0.1% ophthalmic suspension in the treatment of adenoviral conjunctivitis. Adv Ther. 2009 Aug;26(8):776-83. Abstract

101. Epstein SP, Pashinsky YY, Gershon D, et al. Efficacy of topical cobalt chelate CTC-96 against adenovirus in a cell culture model and against adenovirus keratoconjunctivitis in a rabbit model. BMC Ophthalmol. 2006 Jun 5;6:22.Full text  Abstract

102. Zanjani H, Aminifard MN, Ghafourian A, et al. Comparative evaluation of tacrolimus versus interferon alpha-2b eye drops in the treatment of vernal keratoconjunctivitis: a randomized, double-masked study. Cornea. 2017 Jun;36(6):675-78. Abstract

103. Zhao M, He F, Yang Y, et al. Therapeutic efficacy of tacrolimus in vernal keratoconjunctivitis: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Eur J Hosp Pharm. 2020 Nov 3 [Epub ahead of print].Full text  Abstract

104. Butt AL, Chodosh J. Adenoviral keratoconjunctivitis in a tertiary care eye clinic. Cornea. 2006 Feb;25(2):199-202. Abstract

105. Colón LE. Keratoconjunctivitis due to adenovirus type 8: report on a large outbreak. Ann Ophthalmol. 1991 Feb;23(2):63-5. Abstract

106. Ankers HE, Klapper PE, Cleator GM, et al. The role of a rapid diagnostic test (adenovirus immune dot blot) in the control of an outbreak of adenovirus type-8 keratoconjunctivitis. Eye. 1993;7(Pt 3 Suppl):15-7. Abstract

107. Jackson WB, Davis PL, Groh V, et al. Adenovirus type 19 keratoconjunctivitis in Canada. Can J Ophthalmol. 1975 Jul;10(3):326-33. Abstract

108. Richmond S, Burman R, Crosdale E, et al. A large outbreak of keratoconjunctivitis due to adenovirus type 8. J Hyg (Lond). 1984 Oct;93(2):285-91. Abstract

109. Hyde KJ, Berger ST. Epidemic keratoconjunctivitis and lacrimal excretory system obstruction. Ophthalm. 1988 Oct;95(10):1447-9. Abstract

110. Hammer LH, Perry HD, Donnenfeld ED, et al. Symblepharon formation in epidemic keratoconjunctivitis. Cornea. 1990 Oct;9(4):338-40. Abstract

Use of this content is subject to our disclaimer