When My Eyes Turned Red

I never thought much about eye infections—until I woke up one morning with my eye crusted shut, red, itchy, and leaking tears like a broken faucet. It was uncomfortable, yes, but more than that, it was frustrating. I had no idea where it came from, and worse, I didn’t know how to stop it from spreading. That’s how I learned the hard way about “eye flu,” or viral conjunctivitis.

Turns out, eye flu spreads like wildfire. Public transport? Risky. Shared towels? Definitely risky. Even rubbing your eyes with unwashed hands can be enough. A post I came across recently on Twitter made this painfully clear:
https://twitter.com/AskDoctors24/status/1942939441716224099

I was lucky—mine cleared up in a few days. But during that time, I did a deep dive into what eye flu really is and how to prevent it. I came across a helpful LinkedIn post that explained how often this condition is mismanaged:
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/askdocdoc_conjunctivitis-eye-flu-is-often-mismanaged-activity-7348705219196743680-VwMB

That resonated. I had already considered using leftover antibiotic drops from a past prescription. I'm glad I didn't.

The more I read, the clearer it became that prevention is everything. Wash your hands. Don’t touch your eyes unless you must. And never share personal stuff like makeup, towels, or lenses. There’s even a really useful checklist I found on Pinterest that breaks it all down visually:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/928445279435783644

What surprised me most was how many people treat it like a common cold—for the eyes. But it’s not harmless. Some viral strains can lead to corneal damage if ignored. That’s why a public Instagram post caught my eye (pun intended):
https://www.instagram.com/p/DL44bfvuv8s/

If you're starting to feel the telltale signs—gritty eyes, light sensitivity, watery discharge—don’t shrug it off. Stay home if you can. Avoid close contact with others. And definitely don’t go around touching surfaces without washing your hands first. I found a solid breakdown of do’s and don’ts on AskDocDoc that gave me peace of mind when figuring out how to treat it right:
https://askdocdoc.com/articles/696-precautions-for-eye-flu-how-to-stay-safe-and-protect-your-eyes

Also, if there’s an outbreak in your area, speak up. A Facebook post I saw emphasized the importance of reporting it to schools or workplaces to help contain it faster:
https://facebook.com/577894992066845_122132260556743210

I wouldn’t wish eye flu on anyone, but if you do get it, don’t panic—just act smart and act early. And if you’re lucky enough not to have it, trust me: prevention is worth the effort.