Red, Itchy Eyes in Arugam Bay: Conjunctivitis, Sand, and Salt Water

Red, gritty, watering eyes are one of the most common things we see walk through the door, especially during surf season. Most of the time it’s nothing serious — a day in salt water, sun, and wind will do that to anyone. But conjunctivitis (what most people call “pink eye”) is also genuinely common here, and it spreads fast through guesthouses, surf camps, and shared towels. Telling the two apart matters, because the treatment is different.

Why your eyes take a beating in Arugam Bay

A normal day here is hard on your eyes in ways it usually isn’t at home. Salt water, UV glare off the ocean, blown sand, sunscreen that runs into your eyes when you sweat, chlorine-free but bacteria-rich lagoon water, wind off the point, and long hours outdoors all add up. Add contact lenses worn too long in salt water, or rubbing your eyes with sandy hands after a surf, and irritation is almost guaranteed at some point during a trip.

None of that is dangerous on its own. It becomes a problem when it doesn’t settle after a day of rest, or when it looks and feels like an infection rather than plain irritation.

Irritation vs. conjunctivitis: how to tell

Simple irritation from sun, salt, and sand usually:

• Affects both eyes fairly evenly
• Feels gritty or dry, like sand under the eyelid
• Improves within a few hours of getting out of the sun and rinsing with clean water
• Doesn’t produce thick discharge, and there’s no crusting when you wake up

Conjunctivitis (inflammation of the surface of the eye) usually:

• Often starts in one eye and can spread to the other within a day or two
• Comes with noticeable redness, a gritty or burning feeling that doesn’t ease with rest, and sometimes swollen eyelids
• Produces discharge — watery for viral or allergic conjunctivitis, thicker and yellow-green for bacterial conjunctivitis
• Causes eyelids that are stuck together or crusted shut on waking, which is a strong sign of a bacterial cause

Viral conjunctivitis is often linked to a cold or sore throat around the same time and is highly contagious through hand contact, shared towels, and pillows. Bacterial conjunctivitis tends to produce more discharge and responds well to antibiotic eye drops. Allergic conjunctivitis — from sunscreen, dust, or pollen — usually causes itching more than pain, affects both eyes, and often comes with a runny nose or sneezing.

What to do first

For plain sun-and-salt irritation:

• Rinse your eyes with clean, cool water or sterile saline, not seawater or tap water from an uncertain source.
• Stay out of direct sun and wind for a few hours; sunglasses help once you’re back outside.
• Avoid rubbing. Sandy hands on irritated eyes is how simple grit turns into a scratched cornea.
• Use lubricating (artificial tear) eye drops if you have them or can get them from a pharmacy — they’re safe, over the counter, and genuinely help.

If it looks more like conjunctivitis:

• Wash your hands often and avoid touching your eyes. This is the single most effective way to stop it spreading to your other eye or to whoever you’re travelling with.
• Don’t share towels, pillows, or sunglasses until it’s fully cleared.
• Clean discharge away gently with a fresh cotton pad and cool boiled water, wiping outward from the corner of the eye, using a new pad for each wipe and each eye.
• Stop wearing contact lenses until the eye is completely back to normal.
• Cold compresses can ease discomfort and swelling, particularly for the allergic type.

When to come and see us

Come in rather than waiting it out if:

• There’s thick yellow or green discharge, or your eyelids are crusted shut in the morning
• Vision is blurred, or you have any real pain (not just grittiness) or unusual sensitivity to light
• Only one eye is affected and it’s getting worse rather than better
• Symptoms haven’t started improving after two to three days of basic care
• You wear contact lenses — contact-lens wearers with eye redness need to be checked properly, as the risk of a more serious corneal infection is higher
• There’s a history of trauma, something may have gotten into the eye (a splinter, a piece of coral, a fishhook), or you can see something embedded
• A newborn or young child has red, discharging eyes — this always needs a same-day check

We can examine the eye properly, tell you which type of conjunctivitis you’re dealing with, and prescribe antibiotic or antihistamine drops if needed. Bacterial conjunctivitis clears quickly once the right drops are started — usually within two to three days.

Prevention

• Wear sunglasses in wind, glare, and sand, not just for style. UV protection matters as much as the physical barrier.
• Rinse your eyes with clean water after a surf, especially if you’ve been in lagoon or river-mouth water.
• Don’t share towels or pillows with a housemate who has red or watery eyes.
• Take contact lenses out before swimming or surfing wherever possible, and always wash your hands before handling them.
• Wash your hands regularly, particularly before touching your face, during flu or cold season.

Related reading

• Swimmer’s Ear in Arugam Bay: The Infection That Isn’t Surfer’s Ear
• Sun Protection and Heat Stroke: Staying Safe in the Sri Lankan Sun
• Allergic Reactions & Anaphylaxis in Sri Lanka: What to Do

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This article is general health information and not a substitute for medical advice. If your eyes are painful, your vision is affected, or redness isn’t settling, walk in any time, day or night, or call 1990 for emergency transport.