Is pink eye contagious?

Pink eye is contagious. People frequently touch their eyes, and viruses, bacteria and other irritants are transferred via one's fingertips. Pink eye spreads when one touches a contaminated surface and then touches one's own eyes.

According to Livescience, the pink eye virus spreads from the fingertips of an infected person to surfaces such as keyboards, and it can be transmitted to other people when they touch their eyes after touching such surfaces. WebMD explains that the main cause of the spread of pink eye is poor hand washing. The sharing of items such as towels and washcloths can also spread this infection.