24/7 Emergency Care. Our patients are first.
If your eye is red, itchy, watery, or has discharge, it may be conjunctivitis. Many mild cases improve with supportive care. But if the eye is painful, light-sensitive, blurry, intensely red, or just feels wrong, do not assume it is “just pink eye.”
Go to the ER now if pink eye or red eye comes with:
These are not the usual features of simple conjunctivitis and should be treated urgently.
Do not wait if you wear contact lenses, had a chemical splash, or the patient is a newborn.
Contact lens wearers with a red eye need extra caution because a more serious infection can be missed early. Newborns with pink eye symptoms should be seen by a doctor right away. Chemical exposure should never be brushed off as routine pink eye.
What pink eye actually is
Pink eye, or conjunctivitis, is inflammation of the conjunctiva — the thin tissue covering the white of the eye and the inside of the eyelids. Common causes include viruses, bacteria, and allergens. Chemicals, contact lens wear, and foreign bodies can also cause red, irritated eyes that may look similar at first.
Common symptoms of pink eye
Typical symptoms include red or pink eyes, itching or burning, tearing, discharge, crusting on the lashes, swollen eyelids, and a gritty or foreign-body sensation. Some people also notice sensitivity to bright light or blurry vision, but those symptoms deserve more caution because they can overlap with more serious eye problems.
most pink eye does not need the ER
This is the part many competitor pages get wrong. Not every case of pink eye needs emergency care. The CDC notes that some cases can be managed at home, and mild viral conjunctivitis often clears without prescription treatment. Mild bacterial conjunctivitis may also improve without antibiotics, though treatment can sometimes shorten the course or reduce spread.
When it may be more than pink eye
If the eye is truly painful, sensitive to light, blurry, intensely red, or feels like something is in it, the problem may not be simple conjunctivitis. Those features can overlap with more serious eye conditions, which is why urgent evaluation matters.
Contact lenses change the equation
If you wear contact lenses and develop a red eye, stop wearing them immediately. Contact lens–related eye infections can be more serious, and Mayo Clinic specifically advises contact lens wearers with pink-eye symptoms to stop lens use and seek further evaluation if symptoms do not start improving within 12 to 24 hours.
Newborns and babies deserve faster evaluation
Newborns with pink eye symptoms should be seen right away. CDC and NEI both flag newborn conjunctivitis as a higher-risk situation that should not be handled casually.
How pink eye is treated
Treatment depends on the cause. Viral pink eye usually improves with time and supportive care. Bacterial pink eye may be treated with antibiotic drops or ointment in selected cases. Allergic pink eye improves by reducing the trigger and using allergy-directed treatment. Supportive care often includes artificial tears, warm or cool compresses, and strict hand hygiene to reduce spread.
How to avoid spreading it
Viral and bacterial pink eye are contagious. Good handwashing, not sharing towels or pillowcases, avoiding eye rubbing, and throwing away contaminated eye makeup can help reduce spread. Allergic conjunctivitis is different — it is not contagious.
What Post Oak ER can do
At Post Oak ER, patients with red eye can receive an emergency evaluation to help sort out routine conjunctivitis from a more serious eye problem. That matters when symptoms include severe discomfort, light sensitivity, vision changes, foreign-body concern, contact lens risk, or chemical exposure. Post Oak ER is open 24/7 for adult and pediatric emergency care with board-certified ER physicians and no appointment needed.
A simple rule to remember
If it looks like mild pink eye and is slowly improving, it may not be an ER issue. If the eye hurts, vision changes, light bothers you, the redness is intense, you wear contacts, or the patient is a newborn, get it checked.
Whether you’re in Westchase, Midtown, or the Heights, getting to Post Oak ER is simple. We’re centrally located near major Houston routes like I‑610 and San Felipe — just a short drive from Memorial Park and River Oaks. Many patients reach us via Westheimer or Woodway Dr., depending on their neighborhood.
We accept most major insurance plans and also welcome self-pay patients with transparent, upfront pricing. Many Memorial-area patients visit us using Blue Cross, Aetna, Cigna, Humana, Molina, and United Healthcare.
Yes. We’re open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our freestanding ER model is designed to minimize or eliminate wait times so you’re seen fast.
No. Walk in anytime. If it’s an emergency, come straight in or call ahead and we’ll be ready: 832-581-2277.
5018 San Felipe St, Houston, TX 77056 — near The Galleria/Uptown. Free, convenient parking right by the entrance.
Yes. Our board-certified emergency physicians care for all ages, including pediatric emergencies.
Chest pain, shortness of breath, severe headache/migraine, abdominal pain, injuries and fractures, cuts requiring stitches, high fever, dehydration, allergic reactions, asthma attacks, and more. If you believe it’s life-threatening, call 911.
Yes. We offer on-site CT scans, digital X-rays, and a full laboratory, so most tests and results are done during your visit.
Absolutely. We routinely see patients from Uptown, The Galleria, River Oaks, Tanglewood, and Memorial.
A photo ID, insurance card (if available), a list of medications/allergies, and any recent medical records you have.
We accept most major private insurance plans. Coverage varies by plan; our team will help verify benefits and discuss any out-of-pocket costs. Questions? Call 832-581-2277.
Urgent care handles minor illnesses/injuries. ERs have advanced imaging, lab, medications, and emergency physicians for time-sensitive or severe conditions (e.g., chest pain, severe abdominal pain, serious injury, difficulty breathing).
Yes. If inpatient care or surgery is required, we coordinate a direct transfer to the appropriate hospital.
Times vary by condition and testing, but our no-wait intake and on-site diagnostics help you get answers and treatment as quickly as possible.