Common Types of Eye Infections: Symptoms and Treatment (2025)

Corneal Ulcer (Keratitis): Inflammation of the Eye's Clear Dome

Keratitis is an eye condition involving inflammation of the cornea: the clear, dome-shaped window that covers the iris and pupil. It can be caused by fungal, bacterial, viral, or parasitic infections and develops most often in people who wear contact lenses. Other types of keratitis are not caused by an infection — in those cases, inflammation of the cornea may be caused by an injury, exposure to UV light or certain autoimmune conditions. Your doctor will need to determine the cause of your symptoms before deciding whether it's a true infection, and what type of treatment might be needed.

Corneal ulcers usually start as a small, white spot on the cornea. Symptoms of keratitis include eye redness, pain, light sensitivity, blurred vision, discharge and tearing. Keratitis treatment depends on the cause of the inflammation and may include antibiotics, antiviral medications, antifungal medications, corticosteroids or, in severe cases, a surgery such as a cornea transplant.

It's important to contact your ophthalmologist right away if you notice symptoms of keratitis, especially if you wear contact lenses. Your doctor will examine your eyes and determine the cause of your symptoms.

Fungal Keratitis

Fungal infection of the cornea is a serious and potentially sight-threatening condition that can affect people who wear contact lenses. Left untreated, this condition can cause a perforation and even vision loss. Read more about symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of fungal keratitis.

Bacterial Keratitis

A bacterial infection of the cornea can progress quickly and cause blindness if not treated right away. Contact your doctor immediately if you develop sudden eye pain, redness and discharge — especially if you wear contact lenses or have an eye injury. Read more about symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of bacterial keratitis.

Viral Keratitis

Viral keratitis is caused by a virus; for example, it can be caused by the type of herpes virus that causes cold sores as well as the type of herpes that causes sexually transmitted infections. Read more about symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of herpes keratitis.

Endophthalmitis: Painful Infection Inside the Eye

Endophthalmitis develops inside the eyeball and is extremely serious. If not treated right away, endophthalmitis can lead to blindness. Contact your doctor immediately if you experience eye pain that continues to get worse after surgery, an eye injection or eye injury. Read more about symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of endophthalmitis.

Pink Eye (Conjunctivitis): Goopy, Red Eyes

Pink eye, also called conjunctivitis, is one of the most common types of eye infection. Pink eye can be caused by a virus, bacteria or allergies.

Most of the time, pink eye is caused by the same viruses that produce the common cold. These are called adenoviruses. Viral pink eye does not need to be treated with antibiotics. Viral pink eye is extremely contagious and easily spreads from person to person, so washing your hands is an important way to stop the spread of disease.

Less often, pink eye is caused by bacteria and can be treated with antibiotics. In rare cases, pink eye may be a symptom of COVID, bird flu, or monkeypox. Contact your doctor if you have been exposed to any of these viral illnesses.

In some cases, pink eye is not actually an infection. Instead, it may be caused by eye allergies. Your doctor will need to determine the cause of your symptoms before deciding whether you have a true infection, and what type of treatment might be needed.

Children may develop viral or bacterial pink eye due to their poor hygiene and close contact with other children in school and daycare. Pink eye also occurs in babies and adults. It's possible to treat pink eye at home — but steer clear of harmful remedies that could make the infection worse.

Preseptal or Orbital Cellulitis: Infection of the Eyelids or Eye Socket

Cellulitis is a bacterial or fungal infection that can spread quickly. It sometimes develops after an insect bite, skin wound, or sinus infection.

There are two main types of cellulitis that affect the eye:

  • Preseptal cellulitis only affects the eyelid tissue. It is more common in children than adults. Doctors usually treat preseptal cellulitis with oral antibiotics (pills).
  • Orbital cellulitis is an even more serious infection that can affect the eyelids, eye socket (also called the "orbit"), or both. It often requires aggressive treatment and some patients may be treated in the hospital to more quickly control this infection. Orbital cellulitis can cause the eye or eyelid to swell so much that it prevents the eye from moving.

Read more about how the two types of cellulitis are diagnosed and treated.

Other Viruses and Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Eye infections can be caused by other viruses and certain sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including herpes, syphilis, gonorrhea, venereal warts, pubic lice, and HIV/AIDS.

  • Both types of herpes simplex virus — the type that causes cold sores and the type that is sexually transmitted — can cause eye infections. But most herpes eye infections are caused by herpes simplex virus type 1, which causes cold sores. Symptoms may include eye pain, redness, a rash, watery discharge, light sensitivity, and blurred vision. Herpes eye infections are often treated with topical and oral antiviral medication. Left untreated, herpes keratitis can severely damage your eye.
  • Herpes zoster, an entirely different type of herpes virus, causes a painful red rash with blisters known as shingles. Herpes zoster is not a sexually transmitted disease, but it can develop in people who have previously had chicken pox. If the herpes zoster virus infects the nerves of the eye, it can cause symptoms such as a rash, blurry vision, light sensitivity, pain and swelling inside your eye, or pink eye.
  • Syphilis eye infections are rare, but they are becoming more common than in years past. Inflammation of the front, middle or back of the eye is the first clue that someone has syphilis. A syphilis eye infection can develop even without skin lesions.
  • Gonorrhea can cause a form of pink eye when it infects the eyes.
  • Venereal warts are a viral infection that can show up on the eyelids. In the eye, venereal warts can cause skin-colored bumps and long-term irritation of the surface of the eye.
  • Pubic lice can live on any hairy part of the body, including the eyebrows and eyelashes. This can cause ongoing itching and burning sensations in the skin.
  • People with HIV/AIDS and others with weakened immune systems may be at risk for a serious viral eye infection called cytomegalovirus retinitis. This infection begins with the gradual appearance of eye floaters and blurred vision, and can cause serious vision damage if not treated quickly.
Common Types of Eye Infections: Symptoms and Treatment (2025)

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