Red, painful, or sticky eyes can ruin your day—and sometimes your vision. If one eye gets suddenly red with thick yellow or green discharge, that often points to a bacterial eye infection. This page gives clear, practical steps: what the infection looks like, how doctors treat it, and what you can do at home to avoid making things worse.
There are a few common types. Bacterial conjunctivitis causes redness, crusty lashes in the morning, and a lot of discharge. Keratitis is an infection of the cornea; it usually hurts more, can blur vision, and is more serious. Blepharitis affects the eyelid edges and makes them flaky or swollen. Orbital or preseptal cellulitis is a deeper infection around the eye and needs urgent care.
Look for thick, colored discharge and one-sided start. Bacterial infections often make eyelids stick together after sleep. Viral infections usually come with watery eyes and cold symptoms. Allergies cause itching and both eyes are affected more evenly. Pain, light sensitivity, or sudden vision changes point to corneal involvement—get checked quickly.
Risk factors matter. Contact lens wearers have higher risk for pseudomonas keratitis, especially if lenses are worn overnight or handled with poor hygiene. Eye injury, recent eye surgery, or skin infections near the eye raise the chance of worse infections.
If you suspect a bacterial infection, stop wearing contact lenses right away. Clean your hands before touching your eyes. Warm compresses help with crust and comfort while you wait for care. Don’t share towels, pillows, or makeup during the infection.
Primary treatment is antibiotic eye drops or ointment. Doctors often prescribe erythromycin ointment for simple cases or a fluoroquinolone eye drop (like levofloxacin or moxifloxacin) for contact lens-related keratitis. Oral antibiotics may be needed for cellulitis. Never use steroid eye drops unless a specialist prescribes them—steroids can worsen infections.
Most mild bacterial conjunctivitis improves within a few days on treatment; finish the full course your doctor gives. Corneal infections can progress fast—if pain or vision worsens, return to care the same day.
When to see emergency care: severe pain, sudden vision loss, intense light sensitivity, worsening redness spreading around the eye, fever with eye swelling, or any signs of orbital cellulitis. These need urgent assessment and sometimes hospital treatment.
Prevention is simple and effective: wash hands often, replace contact lens solution and cases regularly, avoid sleeping in lenses, toss old eye makeup, and treat skin infections near the eye promptly. Small habits go a long way in protecting your eyes.
If in doubt, contact a clinician. Eyes are delicate—early treatment protects vision and helps you recover faster.
As an athlete, I've come to understand the importance of taking care of my body, and that includes my eyes. Recently, I learned about bacterial eye infections, which are a significant risk for athletes, especially in contact sports or shared environments like gyms. To prevent these infections, it's crucial to maintain good hygiene, such as washing hands regularly, avoiding touching our eyes, and disinfecting equipment. Additionally, wearing protective eyewear can be a great way to reduce the risk of injury and infection. By following these simple steps, we can keep our eyes healthy and continue to enjoy our favorite sports.