Eye Infection Treatment in Spain: What Every Tourist Needs to Know
How to tell if your red, sticky eye is bacterial or viral conjunctivitis, which antibiotic eye drops require a prescription in Spain, and how to get one fast — in English, from a licensed doctor.
The PrescribeMe Medical TeamLicensed physicians registered in Spain
10 min read
Save & share
You wake up in a hotel room in Spain and one eye is crusted shut. There is thick, sticky discharge gluing your eyelashes together, and the white of your eye is an angry shade of pink. Eye infection treatment in Spain follows a clear path, but most of the effective antibiotic eye drops require a prescription — and getting one as a tourist can feel impossible when you do not speak the language and have no local doctor.
We wrote this guide to walk you through exactly what is happening in your eye, which type of conjunctivitis you likely have, which medications actually work, and the fastest way to get a valid prescription filled at any Spanish pharmacy.
What's Causing Your Eye Infection?
Conjunctivitis is inflammation of the conjunctiva — the thin, transparent membrane that lines the inside of your eyelids and covers the white part of your eyeball. When bacteria or viruses infect this membrane, it swells and its tiny blood vessels dilate. That is what produces the red or pink colour.[1]
Three main types exist. Bacterial conjunctivitis is caused by bacteria — most commonly Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, or Haemophilus influenzae. These bacteria produce the thick, yellow-green discharge that causes your eyelids to stick together, especially overnight. Bacterial cases account for roughly 20–30% of all conjunctivitis in adults.[2]
Viral conjunctivitis is more common — responsible for up to 80% of acute infectious conjunctivitis. It is usually caused by adenoviruses, the same family of viruses behind the common cold. Viral conjunctivitis tends to produce a watery, clear discharge rather than thick pus. It is highly contagious and often spreads from one eye to the other within days.[1]
Allergic conjunctivitis is the third type. It is triggered by pollen, dust, or other allergens rather than an infection. The hallmark is intense itching in both eyes, often accompanied by sneezing and a runny nose. This type is not contagious and does not need antibiotics. Travel to Spain during spring or summer can trigger it in people who have never had allergies at home, because the pollen mix is different.[3]
The symptoms overlap between types, which is why self-diagnosis can be tricky. Bacterial conjunctivitis typically starts in one eye and may spread to the other. The main sign is a thick, purulent discharge — yellow or green — that accumulates faster than you can wipe it away. Your eyelids will often be stuck together after sleep. There is usually a gritty, sandy feeling rather than intense itching.[2]
Viral conjunctivitis starts with redness and a watery discharge. Itching is mild to moderate. It often follows or accompanies a cold, sore throat, or upper respiratory infection. You may notice a tender, swollen lymph node just in front of your ear on the affected side — this is a strong clue that the cause is viral, not bacterial.[1]
Bacterial conjunctivitis with antibiotic eye drops typically resolves in five to seven days. Without treatment, it can last two to three weeks — and risks spreading to your other eye or to people around you.
Allergic conjunctivitis affects both eyes simultaneously. The dominant symptom is itching — persistent, sometimes maddening itching. The discharge is watery or stringy-mucoid, not purulent. Eyelid swelling can be pronounced. If you are also sneezing, have nasal congestion, or notice symptoms that worsen outdoors, allergy is the most likely cause.
Which Eye Drops Actually Work?
The right treatment depends entirely on the type of conjunctivitis. Antibiotic drops work for bacterial infections only. Here are the medications most commonly prescribed and sold in Spain, ranked by how often they are used for this condition.
Prescription required
Chloramphenicol Eye Drops 0.5%
Broad-spectrum antibiotic eye drops
Chloramphenicol works by blocking bacterial protein synthesis — it stops the bacteria from making the proteins they need to survive and multiply. It is effective against a wide range of bacteria that cause conjunctivitis, including Staphylococcus and Haemophilus species. Clinical studies show cure rates of around 90% for acute bacterial conjunctivitis when used as directed.[4] Unlike in the UK, where chloramphenicol eye drops can be bought over the counter, in Spain they require a prescription.
Typical dose
1 drop every 2 hours for 48 hours, then every 4 hours for 5 days
How fast it works
Improvement within 24–48 hours; full course 5–7 days
Availability in Spain
Prescription only (receta médica)
Tobramycin belongs to the aminoglycoside class of antibiotics. It works by binding to bacterial ribosomes and disrupting protein production, which kills the bacteria. It is particularly effective against gram-negative bacteria like Pseudomonas and Haemophilus, making it a common choice in Spain for bacterial conjunctivitis. It is well tolerated with minimal stinging on application.[5]
Typical dose
1–2 drops every 4 hours for 7 days
How fast it works
Noticeable improvement within 1–2 days
Availability in Spain
Prescription only (receta médica)
Fusidic acid works differently from the other options here — it inhibits a specific protein (elongation factor G) that bacteria need to assemble proteins. Its gel-like formulation stays on the eye surface longer than standard drops, which means it only needs to be applied twice a day. This makes it the most convenient option, especially for people who struggle with frequent dosing. It is most effective against Staphylococcus species.[4]
Typical dose
1 drop twice daily for 7 days
How fast it works
Improvement within 1–2 days; twice-daily dosing
Availability in Spain
Prescription only (receta médica)
Artificial tears do not treat the underlying infection. What they do is flush debris, discharge, and inflammatory mediators from the eye surface, reduce the gritty sensation, and keep the eye comfortable while the infection resolves. For viral conjunctivitis — where antibiotics are useless — artificial tears are the main treatment, alongside cold compresses and time. Choose preservative-free single-dose vials when possible, as preservatives can irritate an already inflamed eye.[1]
Typical use
1–2 drops as needed, up to every 1–2 hours during acute symptoms
Effectiveness
Symptomatic relief only; supports healing for viral conjunctivitis
Availability in Spain
Over-the-counter at any farmacia
What Can a Spanish Pharmacy Do Without a Prescription?
Spanish pharmacies — farmacias — can help more than you might expect, even without a prescription. The pharmacist can sell you artificial tears, saline solution for eye washing, antihistamine eye drops for allergic conjunctivitis (such as olopatadine or ketotifen), and sterile eye wipes for cleaning discharge from your lids. These are all available over the counter. The word you need is infección de ojo (eye infection) or conjuntivitis — the term is almost identical. Many pharmacists in tourist areas speak English. Expect to pay between €5 and €12 for these products.
What the pharmacy cannot sell you without a prescription is any antibiotic eye drop. Chloramphenicol, tobramycin, and fusidic acid all require a receta médica in Spain. This is a stricter rule than in some other European countries. If the pharmacist suspects your infection is bacterial, they will tell you to see a doctor — which is exactly the gap an online consultation fills.
Does Every Eye Infection Need Antibiotics?
This is the single most widespread misconception about conjunctivitis, and it leads to both unnecessary medication use and delayed proper treatment.
Myth
"All pink eye needs antibiotic drops."
Most conjunctivitis in adults is viral. Antibiotics have zero effect on viruses — using antibiotic drops for viral conjunctivitis will not speed recovery, will not reduce contagion, and may cause side effects like irritation and allergic reactions.[4] A Cochrane review found that while antibiotics do shorten bacterial conjunctivitis by roughly 1.5 days compared to placebo, many bacterial cases also self-resolve within one to two weeks without treatment.[6] The real benefit of antibiotics for bacterial cases is reducing the duration of contagiousness and preventing rare complications like corneal involvement. A doctor needs to assess the type of infection first, because applying the wrong treatment wastes time and money — and can mask a more serious condition that requires different care.
When Should You See a Doctor in Person?
Most conjunctivitis is manageable with the right drops and resolves within a week. But certain symptoms signal something more serious than straightforward pink eye — and require prompt in-person evaluation.
Seek urgent eye care (urgencias oftalmológicas) if you experience:
Significant eye pain — not just irritation or grittiness, but deep, aching pain inside the eye
Any change in vision — blurriness, reduced sharpness, or sensitivity to light (photophobia) that does not improve after wiping away discharge
A white or grey spot on the coloured part of your eye (cornea) — this may indicate a corneal ulcer, which is a medical emergency
Symptoms that worsen after 48 hours of antibiotic treatment rather than improving
Recent eye surgery, contact lens wear with severe redness, or a history of herpes eye infections
Contact lens wearers deserve special attention. Wearing contacts during conjunctivitis dramatically increases the risk of corneal infection — a potentially sight-threatening condition called microbial keratitis. Remove your lenses immediately at the first sign of redness or discharge. Discard the pair you were wearing and the lens case. Do not resume contact lens wear until the infection has fully cleared and you have been symptom-free for at least 24 hours.[5]
People who are immunocompromised or who have recently had eye surgery should always seek in-person evaluation rather than relying solely on an online consultation. In Spain, most hospitals have ophthalmology departments accessible through urgencias. If you have a tarjeta sanitaria europea (European Health Insurance Card), emergency care is covered.
How Do You Get Eye Infection Treatment Quickly in Spain?
With bacterial conjunctivitis, earlier treatment means fewer days of discomfort, less risk of spreading it to your other eye or to travel companions, and a lower chance of complications. Every day you wait for a prescription is a day the infection worsens and spreads.
As a tourist, your options for getting a prescription are limited and often slow. Public health centres (centros de salud) may not take walk-ins without a Spanish health card. Private clinics charge €60–150 for a consultation and often have same-day availability problems in peak season. Finding all of this, then navigating it in Spanish, when your eye is swollen and weeping — that is the real barrier.
PrescribeMe exists to solve this exact problem. You complete a short questionnaire describing your symptoms, a licensed Spanish physician reviews your case, and — if an antibiotic is appropriate — issues a receta electrónica privada (a valid private electronic prescription). It is sent directly to your phone and accepted at every farmacia in Spain. The consultation is in English. Most prescriptions are delivered within hours. If the doctor determines your conjunctivitis is viral or allergic rather than bacterial, they will tell you that too — and recommend the right over-the-counter treatment instead, so you do not waste money on drops that will not help.
Woke up with a red, sticky eye in Spain? A doctor can determine the cause and prescribe the right treatment — without a clinic visit.
Azari AA, Barney NP. Conjunctivitis: A Systematic Review of Diagnosis and Treatment. JAMA. 2013;310(16):1721–1729. doi:10.1001/jama.2013.280318
Rietveld RP, ter Riet G, Bindels PJ, et al. Predicting bacterial cause in infectious conjunctivitis: cohort study on informativeness of combinations of signs and symptoms. BMJ. 2004;329(7459):206–210. doi:10.1136/bmj.38128.631319.AE
Bielory L, Friedlaender MH. Allergic conjunctivitis. Immunology and Allergy Clinics of North America. 2008;28(1):43–58. doi:10.1016/j.iac.2007.12.005
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Conjunctivitis — infective: Scenario: Management. NICE Clinical Knowledge Summary. Updated 2023. cks.nice.org.uk
American Academy of Ophthalmology. Conjunctivitis Preferred Practice Pattern. AAO PPP. 2018. aao.org
Sheikh A, Hurwitz B, van Schayck CP, McLean S, Nurmatov U. Antibiotics versus placebo for acute bacterial conjunctivitis. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2012;(9):CD001211. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD001211.pub3
This article is for informational purposes and does not replace individual medical advice. If you are unsure about the severity of your symptoms, consult a healthcare professional. Content reviewed by the PrescribeMe medical team — licensed physicians registered in Spain — March 2026.
Need a prescription?
Licensed doctors · In English