. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2014 Jun 9.

Published in final edited form as: JAMA. 2013 Oct 23;310(16):1721–1729. doi: 10.1001/jama.2013.280318

Table 3.

Evidence-Based Recommendations in Conjunctivitis

Recommendation	Level of Evidence
Topical antibiotics are effective in reducing the duration of conjunctivitis.	A¹⁹
Observation is reasonable in most cases of bacterial conjunctivitis (suspected or confirmed) because they often resolve spontane- ously and no treatment is necessary.	A⁴¹
It is reasonable to use any broad-spectrum antibiotics for treating bacterial conjunctivitis.	A^19,41
In allergic conjunctivitis, use of topical antihistamines and mast cell stabilizers is recommended.	A⁵²
Good hand hygiene can be used to decrease the spread of acute viral conjunctivitis.	C¹⁶
Bacterial cultures can be useful in cases of severely purulent conjunctivitis or cases that are recalcitrant to therapy.	C¹⁶
It may be helpful to treat viral conjunctivitis with artificial tears, topical antihistamines, or cold compresses.	C¹⁶
Topical steroids are not recommended for bacterial conjunctivitis.	C⁶⁵