What is the treatment of choice for acute bacterial conjunctivitis?
Acute bacterial conjunctivitis is a self limited condition. However, the use of antibiotic treatment is recommended because it hastens healing considerably and it eradicates the bacterial pathogen allowing children to return to daycare centers and schools within 24 hours of treatment. Topical treatment with polymyxin-bacitracin, garamycin or other suitable topical antimicrobials should be used. There is usually no need to use topical treatment for more than 2 to 5 days when complete resolution should have occurred. Treatment should be applied to both eyes, even if only one eye appears to be infected. Topical application should be applied four times a day. What approach should be used if the purulent discharge persists despite topical treatment? If there is persistent eye discharge after Day 4 or 5 of treatment then one needs to consider an alternative diagnosis. The most common occurrence is that of an associated otitis media which has not been recognized or has subsequently developed
