The last few months of winter are notorious for making people sick. That bug that you managed to avoid throughout the holiday season and the New Year, will often finally catch up to you come February.

Pink eye, also known as conjunctivitis, is one of the most contagious illnesses out there, especially for children. There are some methods to help you to avoid the infamous pink eye, but once contracted, recognize that it requires medical attention.

Prevent:

The number of times that you have heard (and possibly ignored) this tip in your lifetime should be staggering; wash your hands!  It never gets old because it is true. Anti-bacterial soap and hand sanitizing gel should be your best friends when it comes to dodging everything from the common cold, to conjunctivitis.

Disinfect all of the areas that you spend time in: at work, home, the car, and school. Clean the surfaces of desks, counter-tops, and tables. regularly. Do not share personal hygiene items like washcloths. Be sure to change out your linens for fresh ones, especially when you or someone you interact with are fighting off a bug  

Do not allow yourself to get in the habit of rubbing your eyes, or resting your hands on your face. Unless you wash up every time that you touch an object or a person, your hands are gathering bacteria throughout the day. By not bringing your hands into contact with your eyes and airways, you decrease your risk of infection.

Carefully follow your eye doctor's instructions with regards to contact lenses; you may develop pink eye by leaving your contacts in for too long or by swimming or showering while wearing lenses. Contacts, when not properly cared for, may trap germs in the eyes. Clean your fingers and the lenses themselves thoroughly every time you put contacts in your eyes.

To Treat:

There are three forms of conjunctivitis: bacterial, viral, and allergy-induced. Unless you have other symptoms of an allergic reaction or it is allergy season, it is quite difficult (if not impossible) to distinguish from which type of pink eye you are suffering. With any case of conjunctivitis you should consult an eye doctor(s) immediately.  Viral and allergic pink eye go away on their own within a few days. However, the bacterial form requires antibiotic drops to stop the infection. Failure to properly treat bacterial pink eye can permanently damage one's vision.