Pink Eye
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Express Lane Urgent Care
Urgent Care located in Turlock, CA
Pink eye, medically known as conjunctivitis, is an eye infection that spreads easily, especially among children. If you’re experiencing eye redness and irritation, come into Express Lane Urgent Care right away for an exam. You’re welcome to walk into this Turlock, California-based clinic during normal business hours, or you can call ahead to book your pink eye evaluation.
Pink Eye Q & A
What causes pink eye?
Pink eye is an infection of the protective membrane — the conjunctiva — that lines your eyelid. Though pink eye tends to spread quickly among children in daycare or school, adults can get it, too. You can develop pink eye due to:
- Allergies
- Reaction to eye drops
- Chemical splash in your eye
- Foreign object in your eye
- Viral or bacterial infections
Newborns sometimes come down with pink eye because they have a blocked tear duct. In adults, occasionally a sexually transmitted disease leads to pink eye.
How is pink eye diagnosed?
Diagnosing pink eye begins with evaluating your symptoms. Oftentimes, your physician can diagnose pink eye by looking at your eyes and seeing obvious redness and irritation in one or both eyes. Pink eye can also lead to:
- Gritty sensations while blinking
- Discharge that crusts over
- Excessive tearing
- Eye itchiness
Though less common, sometimes your practitioner needs to take a sample of your eye fluid for evaluation at the lab. Usually, a culture is only necessary if you have severe symptoms, or if your doctor thinks you may have a bacterial infection. No matter what’s causing your — or your child’s — pink eye though, you can get the comprehensive care you need at Express Lane Urgent Care.
Can I get treatment for pink eye?
Yes. Although most cases of pink eye tend to resolve on their own within a few days, because the condition is so contagious, it’s important to come into Express Lane Urgent Care if your symptoms don’t start improving after about 24 hours. Depending on the cause of your case of pink eye, your treatment plan may include:
- Artificial tear drops
- Antibiotic eye drops
- Antiviral medications or drops
- Allergy medications or drops
If you wear contact lenses, you’re going to need to stop wearing them until your pink eye is resolved. But your dedicated practitioner at Express Lane Urgent Care counsels you on what you can do at home to relieve pink eye symptoms and decrease your risk of spreading it to others.
Book your pink eye examination at Express Lane Urgent Care by calling the clinic, or just walk in during normal business hours.
