Optrex infected eye is designed to combat conjunctivitis, conjunctivitis is a bacterial infection of the eye. it develops when the body can not produce enough antibodies to fight the infection itself, antibiotics are the only thing that will help until the body makes enough of its own antibodies. no other creams or washes that don't contain antibiotic with do sweet FA. if its just dirt then wash it out but if the eye looks blueish in the center then its defiantly infected. if its just bloodshot in the whites the it could be just dust/grass seed or any other foreign body, it may even be an all