By Dr. Brian McDonough, Medical Editor

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Conjunctivitis is the medical term for a condition most people have experienced, especially if they are parents of young children.

Conjunctivitis is also called pink eye and it is highly contagious, especially if the person with pink eye does not wash his or her hands often. Conjunctivitis can be caused by viruses or bacteria. Of course when there is a bacterial cause an antibiotic is the treatment of choice but viruses are often to blame and antibiotics won’t help.

I mentioned washing hands. This is very important because it reduces the spread. You also have to be careful about not spreading the infection by using eye drops and sharing from one eye to another.