How long is pink eye contagious for ? does antibiotics prevent spread of pink eye ?

There are several agents that can cause pinkeye and duration of contagiousness varies with the germ. For viral causes it is likely transmitted as long as there is irritation & debris. For bacteria, we consider 1 day of antibiotic drops enough to stop spread. For allergic causes it doesn't spread.

Most cases of pink eye are highly contagious for 10-14 days. Washing your hands and avoiding physical contact with your affected eye are key to preventing the spread of pink eye. Antibiotics are not always used for pink eye, but when they are prescribed appropriately, they can reduce how long the symptoms last. It just depends on whether the cause of a person’s pink eye is bacteria.