{"id":633212,"date":"2025-08-19T14:51:29","date_gmt":"2025-08-19T18:51:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=633212"},"modified":"2026-08-14T13:08:50","modified_gmt":"2026-08-14T17:08:50","slug":"over-the-counter-pink-eye-medicine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/over-the-counter-pink-eye-medicine\/","title":{"rendered":"Can you get over-the-counter pink eye medicine?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Conjunctivitis, more commonly referred to as pink eye, is one of the most common eye conditions for people of all ages. It can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or allergens and can lead to symptoms like redness, itchiness, discharge, and eye pain.<\/p>\n

\u201cPink eye occurs when the tissue that lines the inside of the eyelid (conjunctiva) becomes inflamed,\u201d explains James Kelly, MD, owner of Kelly Vision and Director of Refractive Surgery for Northwell Health. \u201cPink eye can affect one or both eyes, and is most identifiable by the redness caused by the inflammation of blood vessels.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pink eye is easily treatable, but since there are different ways to get pink eye, there are also different forms of treatment. For example, pink eye from allergies could go away once the allergen clears and can sometimes be managed with home remedies, like warm compresses and rinsing your eyes. Other times, you may need an over-the-counter eye drop, or in severe cases, you may need to visit a healthcare professional for a prescription treatment.\u00a0<\/p>\n

See below what the medical experts have to say about the various treatment options for conjunctivitis.<\/p>\n

Can you get pink eye medicine over the counter?<\/h2>\n

Yes, you can get over-the-counter medications to treat pink eye, but it will depend on the underlying cause.<\/p>\n

\u201cPink eye is one of the most common eye complaints in both children and adults, but not all cases are created equal,\u201d says Steven Goldberg, MD, MBA, and the Chief Medical Officer at HealthTrackRx. He explained, \u201cIn children, bacterial infections are the leading cause, whereas in adults, viruses are the main culprit. Many mild cases resolve on their own or with over-the-counter remedies, such as artificial tears.\u201d<\/p>\n

When symptoms of pink eye don\u2019t go away, a medical professional can provide a treatment that\u2019s tailored to the type of conjunctivitis causing the condition. Let\u2019s go over your treatment options for each category of pink eye.<\/p>\n

Allergic conjunctivitis<\/h3>\n

Allergic pink eye is caused by environmental allergens. The easiest way to treat this type of pink eye is to remove the allergen, such as mold, dust, and dander. Over-the-counter and prescription treatments are available for allergic conjunctivitis.<\/p>\n