The best way to avoid pink eye is to take precautions against factors known to cause conjunctivitis. This means avoiding close contact with people who have viral or bacterial pink eye. People with viral pink eye may be contagious before symptoms appear, while people with bacterial pink eye usually become contagious once symptoms appear.

People who are diagnosed with infectious pink eye are urged to remain home from school or work until at least 24 hours after treatments have begun or drainage from the eye has stopped. People with pink eye are urged to wash their hands frequently and not to touch or rub their eyes with their hands. This will help prevent the spread of the infection.

Other tips for helping prevent the spread of pink eye include:

• Do not share towels and washcloths with other people, and change these items daily.
  
  
• Change pillowcases often and do not share them with others.
  
  
• Do not allow others to share a computer keyboard until pink eye is resolved.
  
  
• Discard eye cosmetics after an eye infection, and never share these products with others.
  
  
• Do not swim until the pink eye infection has cleared.
  
  
• Follow a physician’s advice on proper contact lens care.

People with allergic conjunctivitis are urged to avoid the allergens that trigger their condition. Using precaution when working with chemicals or objects that may become airborne can help reduce the chances of getting pink eye that develops from an injury to the eye.