Can eye infections spread through objects?
Depends on what the cause of the conjunctivitis is. Cases of pinkeye that are caused by bacteria and viruses are contagious. (Conjunctivitis caused by allergies or environmental irritants are not.) A child can get pinkeye by touching an infected person or something an infected person has touched, such as a used tissue. In the summertime, pinkeye can spread when kids swim in contaminated water or share contaminated towels. It also can be spread through coughing and sneezing. Doctors usually recommend keeping kids diagnosed with contagious conjunctivitis out of school, day care, or summer camp for a short time. Someone who has pinkeye in one eye can also inadvertently spread it to the other eye by touching the infected eye, then touching the other one. Go here for the full article: http://www.kidshealth.
