Symptoms of pink eye usually appear anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of weeks after the person has been exposed to the source of the infection. People with pink eye often feel like they have something stuck in one or both eyes that cannot be removed. As blood vessels in the conjunctiva (membrane lining the eyelid and eyeball) swell, a pinkish tinge may develop in the whites of their eyes. Discharge from the eyes may crust over during sleep, causing the eyes to feel like they are pasted shut upon awakening.

In some cases, vision may be affected. Pus that slides across the eye can cause visual distortions, although sharpness of vision usually is unaffected.

Other symptoms associated with pink eye include:

• Blurred vision and sensitivity to light
• “Gritty” feeling in the eye
• Itchiness or pain in one or both eyes
• Increased tearing

The symptoms of pink eye may vary depending on the source of the infection. For example, viral conjunctivitis typically causes eye discharge that is watery or mucus-based. Meanwhile, bacterial conjunctivitis causes a thicker, yellow-green discharge accompanied by a respiratory infection and sore throat. Also, viral conjunctivitis frequently affects only one eye, whereas bacterial conjunctivitis tends to affect both.  Ear infections also are common in those who have bacterial conjunctivitis.

Itching is the chief symptom that accompanies forms of conjunctivitis caused by allergies.