Services
Pink Eye Treatment
in Surfside, FL
A same-day physician exam, right here in Surfside, that tells bacterial, viral, and allergic pink eye apart and prescribes the right drops on-site. Walk in, no appointment, school note included.
Physician on shift every day. Most insurance accepted. Self-pay eye exam from $195.
Joint Commission AccreditedThe only one in Florida
Can I walk in for pink eye in Surfside today?
Yes. TrufaMED Urgent Care sits at 9445 Harding Ave, in the heart of the Town of Surfside, and treats pink eye every day with no appointment. A board-certified physician examines both eyes, works out whether the cause is bacterial, viral, or allergic, prescribes the right drops on-site, and hands you a dated school or work note before you leave. Most visits run 20 to 45 minutes. Pink eye is contagious and spreads fast through homes and classrooms, so a same-day visit close to home is the fastest way to stop the chain.
Why Surfside families bring a red eye here first
A red, weepy eye rarely waits for a convenient time. It shows up the night before school, mid-vacation in a Collins Avenue rental, or as it hops from one child to the next. Having a full clinic on Harding Avenue means you walk in, get the right diagnosis, and leave with treatment started, not a referral and a two-day wait.
TrufaMED is a locally owned, physician-led clinic, not a franchise or a hospital outpost. For many Surfside residents it is within walking distance, and for the towers of Bal Harbour and the streets of Bay Harbor Islands it is a few minutes away. Because pink eye sweeps through daycares, classrooms, and households in predictable waves, our physicians treat it as a same-day priority, and we provide the dated school note most Florida districts require before a child returns. This is the Surfside companion to our main pink eye treatment guide, focused on getting seen close to home.
Bacterial, viral, or allergic: why the type decides the treatment
“Pink eye” is a catch-all for inflammation of the thin membrane over the white of the eye and the inner lids. The three causes look different on exam and respond to completely different drops, so naming the type correctly is the single most important step. Using the wrong drops, or none when they are needed, only delays recovery.
Bacterial
Thick yellow or green discharge that sticks the lids shut overnight, often starting in one eye then spreading. More common in children and contact lens wearers.
A topical antibiotic drop or ointment. Most patients improve noticeably within 24 to 48 hours, with a three to five day course.
Viral
Watery discharge, a gritty or sandy feeling, often after a recent cold, sometimes with a tender lymph node in front of the ear. Usually adenovirus, and very contagious.
Supportive care: cool compresses, preservative-free artificial tears, strict hand hygiene. Antibiotics do nothing. It clears over one to three weeks.
Allergic
Intense itching in both eyes at once is the giveaway, with watery discharge, stringy mucus, and puffy lids. Driven by pollen, dust, or pet dander, year-round in Miami.
Antihistamine or mast-cell stabilizer drops such as olopatadine or ketotifen, cool compresses, and avoiding the trigger. Relief often within hours.
Antibiotics do nothing for viral or allergic pink eye, and over-the-counter redness-relief drops can mask a developing corneal infection. A physician exam is what separates real treatment from guessing.
A structured eye exam, not a quick glance
Our physicians work through a consistent exam so the diagnosis is sound and a more serious eye problem is not mistaken for simple pink eye. The first job is separating conjunctivitis from conditions involving the cornea or deeper structures.
History
How it started, what the discharge looks like, recent colds or allergies, contact lens use, and whether one or both eyes are involved. The story narrows the cause before the physician even looks.
External eye exam
The physician inspects the pattern of redness, checks the lids for styes or blepharitis, and feels for the preauricular lymph node in front of the ear that signals a viral cause.
Visual acuity check
Vision is measured on a Snellen chart at every visit. Normal acuity is reassuring and fits simple conjunctivitis. Reduced vision raises the level of concern and may warrant same-day ophthalmology.
Fluorescein corneal stain
When pain, light sensitivity, vision change, or contact lens use raises concern, fluorescein dye under a cobalt blue light reveals scratches, ulcers, or a herpes pattern that a plain look would miss.
Ruling out the mimics
The physician rules out iritis, episcleritis, acute angle-closure glaucoma, and subconjunctival hemorrhage, since mistaking one of those for pink eye can cost vision. On-site lab and imaging are ready for the rare case that needs them.
The right drops, sent to your pharmacy before you leave
Once the type is clear, treatment is matched to it and the prescription is e-sent to any pharmacy in Miami-Dade, so there is no second stop to get started. For a deeper look at each medication, see our main pink eye treatment page.
Bacterial drops
A topical antibiotic such as polymyxin B with trimethoprim, erythromycin ointment, or a fluoroquinolone in adults, given every four to six hours for five to seven days. Most patients improve within 48 hours.
Viral supportive care
No antibiotic, because they do not work on adenovirus. Cool compresses, preservative-free artificial tears, and strict hand hygiene carry you through the one to three weeks it takes to clear.
Allergic drops
Antihistamine and mast-cell stabilizer drops such as olopatadine, ketotifen, or azelastine, often with relief within hours, plus help identifying and avoiding the trigger.
Contact lens protocol
Fluoroquinolone drops first-line for pseudomonas coverage, lenses held until the eye is fully clear, and a clear plan for when it is safe to resume with new lenses and a new case.
Pediatric dosing
The same careful diagnosis with child-sized medication, plus a quick lesson on getting drops into a wiggling toddler, and a dated school or daycare note at every pediatric visit.
Referral when needed
Suspected herpes of the eye, a corneal ulcer, or any finding beyond conjunctivitis triggers same-day ophthalmology coordination rather than a wait-and-see.
When your child can go back to school
Pink eye is one of the most common reasons for a missed school day in Surfside. Parents usually need two things on the same visit: the right treatment and a clear, documented answer on when their child can return. We provide both.
Bacterial: back after 24 hours on drops
Most Florida districts and daycares accept 24 hours of antibiotic therapy as the threshold for return. Discharge thins within the first day, and the contagion risk drops sharply. The physician note documents the date treatment started.
Viral: back when symptoms resolve
Adenoviral pink eye is contagious for the full run of active symptoms, usually one to two weeks. Best practice is to stay home until redness, discharge, and tearing have fully cleared, with strict hand washing throughout.
Allergic: no exclusion needed
Allergic conjunctivitis is not contagious, so school and work attendance is not restricted. We still provide documentation if an employer or school asks for it.
Stopping it at home
The virus survives on doorknobs, phones, and pillowcases for days. Separate towels and pillowcases, frequent hand washing, and no sharing of drops or makeup break the chain before it sweeps the household.
A red eye in a lens wearer is never routine
If you wear contacts, a red eye is treated with extra caution until the cornea is cleared. Bacterial keratitis, a corneal infection linked to lens misuse, can look like ordinary pink eye at first and cause permanent vision loss within days if missed.
What to do right away
- Stop wearing your lenses in both eyes at the very first symptom, and switch to glasses.
- Throw out the current pair and the case; both are likely contaminated.
- Come in the same day rather than waiting, since lens-related infections move quickly.
- Bring your case and solution to the visit, and do not resume lenses until a physician clears you.
What we do differently
- Fluorescein staining under cobalt blue light to rule out a corneal scratch or ulcer first.
- Fluoroquinolone drops first-line for pseudomonas coverage, the classic lens-related organism.
- A lower threshold to treat for bacterial keratitis and to involve ophthalmology same-day.
- A written plan for when and how to safely return to your lenses with fresh supplies.
Symptoms that mean the ER, not urgent care
Most pink eye is straightforward urgent care. A handful of findings, though, can point to a corneal ulcer, inflammation inside the eye, herpes of the eye, acute glaucoma, or orbital cellulitis, all of which need emergency evaluation. If you notice any of these, do not wait it out.
Vision loss or severe pain
Vision that does not clear when you blink away discharge, or real eye pain rather than mild irritation, can mean the cornea or the inside of the eye is involved.
Severe light sensitivity
Marked discomfort in normal light, or halos around lights, is a warning sign for keratitis or inflammation inside the eye, not typical of routine conjunctivitis.
Injury, splash, or bulging
A penetrating injury, a chemical splash, a foreign-body sensation after impact, or the eye bulging forward needs emergency care right away.
Newborns and lens wearers
Any eye discharge in a newborn under 28 days, fever with significant lid swelling, or a contact lens wearer with a white spot on the cornea is treated urgently.
For sudden vision loss, severe eye trauma, or a chemical splash to the eye, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. TrufaMED treats non-life-threatening conditions and arranges transport when a finding is ER-level.
Walk in from Surfside and the surrounding communities
9445 Harding Avenue sits at the center of Surfside, two blocks west of Collins, with free parking. The surrounding neighborhoods are a short drive, which is why a same-day eye visit here beats waiting days for an appointment elsewhere.
Clear pricing, no surprise bills
Most major insurance covers a pink eye visit, and our front desk verifies your benefits at check-in. No insurance? A physician eye exam starts at $195, with any add-ons priced up front before you are seen.
Starting price for a self-pay visit; final cost depends on the care you need. We accept Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, Humana, Oscar Health (urgent care), and Medicare. Call (305) 537-6396 or see our insurance page to verify your plan.
Why bring a red eye to TrufaMED in Surfside
Physician-led every shift
A board-certified physician examines your eye and makes the diagnosis. With pink eye, getting the type right is the whole game, and that is a physician’s call, not a quick triage.
Joint Commission accredited
Florida’s only Joint Commission-accredited urgent care, one of just eight nationwide. The same independent safety standard major hospital systems are held to.
Same-visit treatment and note
Exam, diagnosis, fluorescein staining when needed, the right drops prescribed on-site, and a dated school or work note. You walk out with treatment started.
Right here in Surfside
9445 Harding Avenue, two blocks west of Collins, with free parking. Walking distance for many residents, minutes from Bal Harbour and Bay Harbor Islands.
Eight languages spoken
Our team serves Miami’s international community in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Hebrew, French, and more, at the front desk and in the exam room.
Care for the whole family
Adults, toddlers, and infants alike, with pediatric dosing and a school return note for kids, all under one accredited roof, seven days a week.
Led by board-certified physicians
Our clinical leadership brings hospital-grade training in emergency medicine and surgery to a boutique walk-in setting, the depth that matters when a red eye turns out to be more than pink eye.
Dr. Naidoo leads the clinical team as Medical Director. Board-certified in emergency medicine with deep experience in adult and pediatric emergency care, he brings the judgment to recognize quickly when a red eye needs more than drops.
Dr. Gedalia is TrufaMED’s Chief Medical Officer and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He oversees clinical protocols across all TrufaMED services, holding every visit to a consistent, accredited standard.
Pink eye in Surfside, answered
The questions our front desk and physicians answer most often for families across Surfside, Bal Harbour, and Bay Harbor Islands.
Is there a walk-in clinic for pink eye in Surfside?
Yes. TrufaMED Urgent Care is at 9445 Harding Ave, in the heart of the Town of Surfside, and treats pink eye every day with no appointment needed. A board-certified physician examines both eyes, works out whether the cause is bacterial, viral, or allergic, and sends the right drops to your pharmacy before you leave. Most visits run 20 to 45 minutes. Bal Harbour is about four minutes away, Bay Harbor Islands about five, and Miami Beach about eight.
My child has pink eye and starts school soon. Can you clear them to go back?
Yes, and this is one of the most common reasons Surfside families walk in. Most Florida schools and daycares ask for either 24 hours on antibiotic drops for bacterial pink eye or full symptom resolution for viral pink eye before a child returns. Our physician diagnoses the type, prescribes the right treatment, and hands you a dated school note stating the diagnosis and the safe return date at the visit. No second trip, no waiting on a portal.
Pink eye spreads fast in our house. How soon can we be seen?
Walk in the same day. Adenoviral pink eye sweeps through households and classrooms quickly, so early diagnosis matters for stopping the chain. Typical wait from arrival to a physician is under 15 minutes, and you can check in online first to trim it further. We are open Monday through Friday 9 AM to 9 PM, Saturday 11 AM to 11 PM, and Sunday 12 PM to 8 PM, so a red eye at 8 PM on a Saturday is still a same-night fix.
How does the physician tell bacterial, viral, and allergic pink eye apart?
By the pattern on exam. Thick yellow or green discharge with lids stuck shut on waking points bacterial. Watery discharge, a gritty feeling, and a tender lymph node in front of the ear after a recent cold points viral. Intense itching in both eyes at once points allergic. The physician confirms it with an external eye exam, a vision check, and a fluorescein corneal stain when there is any concern about the cornea. Getting the type right is the whole point, because the three are treated completely differently.
Do I actually need antibiotic drops?
Only if your pink eye is bacterial. Most pink eye is viral, and antibiotics do nothing for viral or allergic conjunctivitis. Viral cases clear on their own over one to three weeks with cool compresses and artificial tears. Allergic cases need antihistamine drops, not antibiotics. Our physician prescribes antibiotics only when the exam supports a bacterial cause, which avoids resistance and the wrong treatment. For a fuller breakdown of each type, see our main pink eye treatment page.
I wear contacts and my eye is red. What should I do?
Take your lenses out right away in both eyes, throw out the current pair and the case, and switch to glasses, then come in the same day. A red eye in a contact lens wearer is never treated as routine, because the risk of a sight-threatening corneal infection is higher. We stain the cornea with fluorescein under a cobalt blue light to rule out a scratch or ulcer, prescribe fluoroquinolone drops first-line for pseudomonas coverage, and arrange same-day ophthalmology if keratitis is suspected. Do not resume lenses until a physician clears you.
How long is pink eye contagious?
Bacterial pink eye is generally contagious until about 24 hours after starting antibiotic drops. Viral pink eye stays contagious for the full run of active symptoms, usually one to two weeks. Allergic conjunctivitis is not contagious at all. We give you a dated note documenting when treatment started and when you are cleared to return to work or school. At home, separate towels and pillowcases, wash hands often, and do not share eye drops or makeup to keep it from sweeping through the household.
When is a red eye an emergency rather than urgent care?
Go to the ER or call 911 for vision loss that does not clear with blinking, severe eye pain, severe light sensitivity or halos around lights, a penetrating eye injury or chemical splash, the eye bulging forward, fever with significant eyelid swelling, a newborn under 28 days with any eye discharge, or a contact lens wearer with a white spot on the cornea. Those point to a corneal ulcer, iritis, acute glaucoma, herpes of the eye, or orbital cellulitis. For typical pink eye without those features, walk in and our physicians triage on arrival.
Can I get pink eye from allergies in South Florida?
Yes, and it is common year-round here. Miami’s climate supports continuous pollen and high humidity favors indoor mold, so allergic conjunctivitis runs through every season rather than a single peak. The giveaway is intense itching in both eyes, watery discharge, and no pus. Antihistamine drops such as olopatadine or ketotifen plus trigger avoidance are the core treatment. If allergies are persistent, our physician can coordinate referral to an allergist for testing and longer-term management. See our allergy care in Surfside for more.
Does insurance cover a pink eye visit, and what if I am self-pay?
Most major plans cover a pink eye evaluation as a standard urgent care visit, including Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, Humana, Oscar Health (urgent care), and Medicare. Our front desk verifies your benefits at check-in and explains any out-of-pocket before treatment. No insurance? A physician eye exam starts at $195, with any add-ons priced up front. There is no surprise billing either way.
Do you treat infants and toddlers for pink eye in Surfside?
Yes, we see children of all ages, including infants, with one important exception handled urgently: any eye discharge in a newborn under 28 days needs prompt evaluation, because neonatal conjunctivitis can come from infections acquired at birth that require systemic treatment. For older babies and toddlers, our physician makes the same careful diagnosis, prescribes child-sized dosing, and shows you the trick for getting drops into a wiggling child. You leave with treatment started and a school or daycare note if you need one.
Do I need an appointment, or can I just walk in?
Walk right in, no appointment needed, seven days a week. You can also check in online ahead of time to reserve your spot and cut the wait. We are at 9445 Harding Ave between 94th and 95th Streets, two blocks west of Collins, with free parking. A board-certified physician examines both eyes and has the right drops prescribed before you leave.
More same-day conditions we treat in Surfside
A physician, on-site diagnostics, and same-day results, for everything non-emergency.
What patients say
Best clinic ever
Excellent. Attentive clean
The staff is very nice and courteous
Very nice receptionist
Best place I’ve been to by far great service
The staff are amazing, from front desk, registration, nurse , the Dr. A mean the facility very clean, conftuble, I'll give them 150% plus on everything and all. Thank you so very much
Care grounded in recognized authorities
Diagnosis and treatment follow guidance from national health authorities and accreditation standards.
Find the right care
Find us on Harding Avenue
Address
TrufaMED Urgent Care
9445 Harding Ave
Surfside, FL 33154
Between 94th and 95th Streets, two blocks west of Collins. Free parking.
Hours
Monday–Friday 9 AM – 9 PM
Saturday 11 AM – 11 PM
Sunday 12 PM – 8 PM
Walk in anytime during open hours, no appointment needed.
Contact
Phone (305) 537-6396
WhatsApp +1 (305) 842-9801
Email [email protected]
For a true eye emergency, sudden vision loss or a chemical splash, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
Red eye? Walk in.
A physician examines both eyes, names the cause, starts the right treatment, and signs a school note, all in the same visit. Walk in at 9445 Harding Ave, or check in online to reserve your spot.
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