2/3 of US children and teens with pink eye are prescribed antibiotics despite guidelines discouraging it.

Most children and teens with pink eye are prescribed antibiotics, despite guidelines discouraging their use, according to a recent study. More than two-thirds of US kids and teens who saw a doctor for pink eye, also known as conjunctivitis, received a prescription for antibiotic eye drops, researchers found. The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends against routine antibiotic use for conjunctivitis, as it typically clears up on its own. Pink eye is highly contagious and can cause red, swollen, and itchy eyes.