Do all cases of pink eye need prescription drops?

No. Viral and allergic conjunctivitis do not respond to antibiotic drops. Bacterial patterns may get Polytrim or erythromycin ophthalmic if the history fits. Antibiotic drops are not automatic.

When should I seek in-person eye care?

Eye pain, light sensitivity, blurred vision, injury, chemical splash, contact-lens red eye, newborns, or a worsening eye need prompt in-person care. Call 911 for emergencies.

$59 Flat · No Waiting Room · Honest next step

Pink eye? Let's sort viral, bacterial, or allergy.

Text a double board-certified Nurse Practitioner. Antibiotic drops are not automatic. Contact lenses plus a red eye need in-person care. $59 flat. No video call. Not a chatbot.

Text Us Now: (480) 639-4722

Scan to Text Us (480) 639-4722 $59 flat fee · text to start

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🔒 HIPAA-Compliant ⭐ 50+ Five-Star Reviews 👁 Real NP — NPI 1285125468

Chris @ NPCWoods

● Available now

Today 7:42 PM

Right eye red and crusted this morning. Kid had it last week. No contacts.

Got you. Any eye pain, light sensitivity, or blur after you wipe the gunk?

Just pink and sticky. Vision is fine.

That's conjunctivitis, not a cornea emergency. Drops only if the bacterial pattern fits — not automatic.

✓ Plan sent. Pharmacy if drops are the right call

7:48 PM

Written and clinically reviewed by Chris Woods, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, double board-certified Nurse Practitioner and founder of NPCWoods. NPI 1285125468.

This page reflects current clinical guidance for conjunctivitis (pink eye) via text-based telehealth. About Chris · Full credentials, NPI & state licenses

Last reviewed: August 21, 2026 — Real NP. Not a chatbot. Treatment decisions follow CDC conjunctivitis guidance and individual clinical judgment. Contact-lens red eye and newborns are in-person doors.

50+ Five-Star Reviews

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"Chris texted me back within seconds and had my prescription over to the pharmacy within minutes..so simple and easy definitely beats sitting in a waiting room. Recommend 100%!"

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"Very fast and convenient. I first messaged Chris at 10:08am and I was picking up my prescriptions from the pharmacy at 10:52am same day! Cannot recommend enough!!!!"

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"Messaged Chris he responded in a timely manner. Very professional. Easy to talk to about our concerns. It was nice to be able to stay at home and get quality care."

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"I had a great experience with NPCWoods Telemed Clinic! Chris was incredibly efficient and genuinely helpful. He made the whole process quick and stress-free."

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"Literally cannot recommend enough! My daughter had the worst cough ever and it was so bad on a Saturday night after midnight, I text Chris, he replied immediately."

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"Chris texted me back within seconds and had my prescription over to the pharmacy within minutes..so simple and easy definitely beats sitting in a waiting room. Recommend 100%!"

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"Very fast and convenient. I first messaged Chris at 10:08am and I was picking up my prescriptions from the pharmacy at 10:52am same day! Cannot recommend enough!!!!"

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"Fast, easy, no waiting, very professional. I recommend him to everyone."

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How it works

Three texts. That's it.

No app, no portal, no video call — just text. Chris reads every message himself.

Text Us

Text (480) 639-4722 and say something like "hey, my eye is red and crusted." Mention contacts, kids, pain, or light sensitivity up front. No account required. The visit is $59 flat.

Chris Reviews

Chris Woods, your double board-certified Nurse Practitioner (NPI 1285125468), reads your message personally. He is not a chatbot. He will ask the questions that split viral vs bacterial vs allergy vs "you need in-person care today."

Plan or pharmacy

If a text visit fits, you get a plan. If bacterial drops are the right call, the Rx goes electronically to your pharmacy. If you need in-person eye care, he will tell you straight — you only pay if he can treat you.

Guidance follows CDC conjunctivitis treatment and American Academy of Ophthalmology red-eye safety rules. Antibiotic drops are not automatic.

Clinical overview

What pink eye is, in plain language

Pink eye is the common name for conjunctivitis — inflammation of the thin lining that covers the white of the eye and the inside of the eyelids (ICD-10 H10). It looks dramatic. Most cases are not a cornea emergency. The job of a visit is to tell those two stories apart.

The CDC groups conjunctivitis as viral, bacterial, or allergic, plus irritant and chemical causes. Viral disease — often adenovirus — is the most common infectious type in adults. It is watery, highly contagious, and does not respond to antibiotic drops. Bacterial disease is more often thick, sticky, and lids-glued-shut. Allergy itches both eyes and is not contagious.

A text visit can sort an uncomplicated pattern in an adult or older child who does not wear contact lenses and who does not have pain, photophobia, or vision loss. A text visit cannot examine the cornea. That is why contacts plus a red eye, newborns, trauma, and chemical splash are in-person doors.

Classic conjunctivitis clues

🔴

RednessPink or red white of the eye, one or both sides

💧

DischargeWatery (often viral) vs thick mucopurulent (often bacterial)

🛏️

Lids stuckCrusting that glues lashes together overnight

😤

ItchBoth eyes plus sneezing or hay fever points to allergy

🤧

A cold at the same timeWatery eyes with a URI are often viral

✨

Gritty feelSand-in-the-eye irritation without true pain

Photophobia (light sensitivity), true eye pain, or blur that stays after you wipe discharge is not classic garden-variety conjunctivitis. That pattern needs in-person eye care the same day — it can be keratitis, uveitis, or something the cornea specialist has to see.

Differential diagnosis

Viral vs bacterial vs allergy vs keratitis

One red eye is not one disease. Chris sorts the pattern before anyone talks about drops.

Pattern	Hallmark clues	What it needs
Viral conjunctivitis	Watery discharge, gritty feel, often a cold; starts in one eye then the other; highly contagious (adenovirus is common)	✓ Supportive care by text. Antibiotic drops do not help
Bacterial conjunctivitis	Thick yellow-green discharge, lids stuck shut, often one eye first	✓ We may send Polytrim or erythromycin if the pattern fits
Allergic conjunctivitis	Intense itch, both eyes, sneezing or known allergies; not contagious	✓ Cool compresses, tears, antihistamine drops
Irritant / pool / smoke	Burns after chlorine, dust, or makeup; not an infection	Rinse, tears, stop the irritant. Text us if it is not settling
Contact-lens keratitis	Red eye in a contact-lens wearer — pain, light sensitivity, or a white spot on the cornea	In-person eye care today. Leave the lenses out
Herpes / shingles on the face	Vesicles on the eyelid or forehead, one-sided pain	In-person same day. Not a text-drop visit
Hyperacute (gonococcal) red eye	Copious pus over hours, often a sexually active adult	Emergency in-person care. Systemic treatment, not drops alone

Not sure which one fits? Text us anyway. Chris will ask the questions that point you to the right door. No charge for the honesty if a text visit is the wrong tool.

What we can send

Drops only when the pattern fits

CDC treatment guidance is blunt: viral and allergic conjunctivitis do not get better with antibiotic drops. We send antibiotics only when the bacterial pattern fits. That is stewardship, not upselling. References: CDC treatment · CDC symptoms · AAO pink eye.

When bacterial pattern fits

Polytrim

Polymyxin B / trimethoprim ophthalmic

First-line topical antibiotic for uncomplicated bacterial conjunctivitis in patients who do not wear contacts. Typical course is several days. Not for viral or allergic eyes.

When bacterial pattern fits

Erythromycin ointment

Erythromycin ophthalmic

Ointment that stays on the lid margin. Useful at night when crusting is the main complaint, and in kids who cannot aim drops. Blurs vision for a few minutes. That is expected.

Viral and all types

Artificial tears

Preservative-free lubricating drops

Supportive care. Cool compresses plus tears ease the grit. Viral conjunctivitis is self-limited over days to two weeks. Antibiotics do not shorten adenovirus.

Allergy pattern

Olopatadine / ketotifen

Antihistamine / mast-cell stabilizer drops

For itch-dominant, both-eyes, hay-fever patterns. Not contagious. Oral antihistamines can help the nose; the eye often needs a drop made for the conjunctiva.

We do not send by text

Steroid eye drops

Prednisolone, loteprednol, leftover "white-cap" bottles

Steroids can worsen herpes keratitis and raise eye pressure. Do not start leftover steroid drops for a red eye. That is an in-person decision after the cornea is examined.

Most generic ophthalmic drops typically run a few dollars to about $20 with GoodRx. We send each Rx electronically; you choose the pharmacy. Oral antibiotics are not first-line for routine pink eye. Hyperacute gonococcal disease is an emergency, not a drop visit.

Hard stop

Contact lenses plus a red eye is in-person care

If you sleep in lenses, swim in them, or just wear them and now one eye is red, leave the lenses out and see eye care today. Contact-lens red eye can be microbial keratitis — an infection of the cornea, often Pseudomonas. That is not conjunctivitis. A text visit cannot rule it out. A slit lamp can.

Do not put the same lens back in. Do not "tough it out" on antibiotic drops from last year. Pain, photophobia, or a white spot on the cornea is a same-day ophthalmology or optometry door, or the ER if you cannot be seen. Chris will tell you that on the first text if you mention contacts.

After the infection is cleared in person, throw out the old lenses, the case, and the opened solution. Restart only when the eye clinician says so.

Safety first

When to go in person — or to the ER

I'm a nurse practitioner, not a salesman. If the cornea, the pupil, or a newborn is in play, I want you in a chair with a light, not texting me.

⚠ Seek in-person eye care now if any of these apply:

Contact-lens wearer with a red eye — risk of microbial keratitis
True eye pain, photophobia (light sensitivity), or blur that stays after wiping discharge
Eye injury, metal, plant matter, or a chemical splash (irrigate first, then go in)
Newborn with red, draining eyes — ophthalmia neonatorum is not a text visit
Vesicles on the eyelid or a shingles rash on the forehead
You cannot keep the eye open, the pupil looks odd, or there is a white spot on the cornea
Copious pus over a few hours in a sexually active adult — hyperacute bacterial disease

Text-based telehealth is not for emergencies. If you have chest pain, trouble breathing, sudden vision loss with a headache, or other emergency symptoms, call 911.

Is this right for you?

Who this is for (and who it isn't)

Text-based pink eye care works for uncomplicated conjunctivitis. It is not a replacement for a cornea exam.

Good fit ✓

Adult or older child, no contact lenses
Red, watery, or crusty eye with a cold — often viral
Thick sticky discharge, lids glued, vision otherwise fine — may be bacterial
Both-eyes itch plus hay fever — often allergy
Located in one of our 11 licensed states

Needs in-person care ✗

Any contact-lens wearer with a red eye
Newborns and young infants
Pain, photophobia, trauma, chemical splash
Vision that stays blurry after discharge is wiped
Herpes vesicles, shingles on the face, or recent eye surgery

Not sure where you fall? Text us anyway — we'll point you to the right care, no charge for the honesty.

School, work, and home

Is pink eye contagious?

Viral and bacterial conjunctivitis spread easily. Allergic and most irritant eyes do not. Wash hands. Do not share towels, pillows, or eye makeup. Do not touch the dropper tip to the eye. Viral adenovirus can live on surfaces; wipe phones and doorknobs if the household is passing it around.

CDC guidance: stay home from school or work while the eye is actively draining, especially in kids. Many schools send children home until the discharge improves or a clinician says they can return. Allergy eyes can usually stay in class because they are not an infection.

Throw out mascara, eyeliner, and the current contact case after an infectious episode. Restart makeup only when the eye is quiet. If one child in the house has crusting, don't share washcloths. That is how the second eye — and the sibling — get it.

If drops are the plan

How to use the bottle without making it worse

Wash hands. Tilt the head back. Pull the lower lid down to make a small pocket. One drop is a dose — more just runs down the cheek. Do not let the tip touch lashes, skin, or the counter. Recap. Wash hands again. If you were prescribed ointment, a thin ribbon along the lower lid is enough. Vision will blur for a few minutes. That is the vehicle, not a new injury.

If both eyes are involved, consider which eye is dirtier and treat the cleaner side first, or use separate tissues to blot. Finish the course Chris sends even if the redness fades on day two. Stopping early is how bacterial conjunctivitis comes back looking like you "didn't get the good drops."

Do not share the bottle with a spouse or a kid. Do not use leftover steroid drops. Do not use redness-reliever drops (tetrahydrozoline) as treatment — they rebound. Artificial tears are the supportive tool; the vasoconstrictor aisle is not.

Follow-up

Not better in two or three days?

Viral conjunctivitis can look worse before it looks better, especially adenovirus, and can take one to two weeks. Bacterial patterns should start to quiet after drops if the diagnosis was right. Allergy should itch less once the antihistamine drop is on board.

Text Chris back if pain starts, light begins to hurt, vision drops, or the lids swell shut. Follow-up on the same visit is part of the $59. He may switch the plan or send you in. A red eye that is getting more painful is no longer a text-drop problem.

Recurrent "pink eye" every spring is often allergy, not a new infection each time. Recurrent crusting in one eye that never fully clears can be blepharitis or a blocked oil gland — different treatment, sometimes in-person lid care.

FAQ

Common questions

Can pink eye be treated online?

Sometimes. Uncomplicated viral, bacterial, or allergic conjunctivitis in a non-contact-lens patient can be sorted by text. Chris Woods, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, NPI 1285125468, reads every message. Contact-lens red eye, newborns, pain, photophobia, and trauma need in-person care. See how a visit works.

Do I need antibiotic drops?

Not automatically. Viral and allergic conjunctivitis do not respond to antibiotic drops. Bacterial patterns — thick sticky discharge, lids glued — may get Polytrim or erythromycin ophthalmic if the history fits. CDC treatment pages say the same thing we do: do not treat every red eye with antibiotics.

I wear contact lenses. Can I still text?

Text if you want a triage. The answer for treatment is almost always in-person today. Leave the lenses out. Contact-lens red eye can be microbial keratitis, including Pseudomonas. That is a cornea infection, not routine pink eye.

Is this a chatbot?

No. Every message is read by Chris Woods, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, NPI 1285125468. Real NP. Not a chatbot. Not an AI clinician.

How much does a pink eye visit cost?

$59 flat. You only pay if he can treat you. Medication is separate at your pharmacy. No paperwork. No hidden fees.

Is pink eye contagious?

Viral and bacterial yes. Allergic and most irritant eyes no. Wash hands, skip shared towels and makeup, and keep kids home while the eye is draining. CDC symptoms guidance is the public-health reference we use.

What about my newborn?

Newborns with red, draining eyes need in-person care now. Ophthalmia neonatorum can be gonococcal or chlamydial and is not a text-drop visit. Do not wait on a telehealth thread.

Can I use leftover steroid drops?

No. Steroid drops can worsen herpes keratitis and raise pressure in the eye. If a previous clinician gave you a steroid, do not restart it for a new red eye without an exam.

How fast will I hear back?

Most people hear back within a few hours, including evenings and weekends when Chris is available. He reads every text himself — no call center.

How is this different from urgent care?

NPCWoods is $59 flat over text. Walk-in urgent care is often much more, plus a waiting room. If you need a slit-lamp exam, we will send you in rather than pretend a phone can see a cornea.

Pink eye? Let's sort viral, bacterial, or allergy.

NPC Woods vs. Big Telehealth

50+ Five-Star Reviews

Three texts. That's it.

Text Us

Chris Reviews

Plan or pharmacy

What pink eye is, in plain language

Classic conjunctivitis clues

Viral vs bacterial vs allergy vs keratitis

Drops only when the pattern fits

Polytrim

Erythromycin ointment

Artificial tears

Olopatadine / ketotifen

Steroid eye drops

Contact lenses plus a red eye is in-person care

When to go in person — or to the ER

⚠ Seek in-person eye care now if any of these apply:

Who this is for (and who it isn't)

Is pink eye contagious?

How to use the bottle without making it worse

Not better in two or three days?

Common questions

Licensed in 11 states

Want the longer read?

Other conditions we treat

Ready to get this sorted?