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Children's health

yellow gunky eye

11 replies

likessleep · 27/01/2009 14:48

15mth ds has had very watery eye/blocked duct for about 10days (teething and cold).
however, his eyes are now secreting yellow gunk, slightly green.
any experience?
he had eye infection when he was first born, when the gunk was pouring out from eyelid. it isn't as much as that, but thecolour is concerning me.
tia

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PuzzleRocks · 27/01/2009 16:12

Bumping for you.

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HeadFairy · 27/01/2009 16:14

ds has something like this when he's run down. I took him to the chemist and they said to use Brolene drops. It did clear it up, though God knows how, getting drops in to his eyes was a pain in the arse challenge to say the least!

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cikecaka · 27/01/2009 16:20

Sounds like he has conjuctivitis, probably needs some drops

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AmIOdetteOrOdile · 27/01/2009 16:22

Sounds like conjunctivitis. Get Brolene (from the pharmacy). If it doesn't clear up after a few days then you needt to see the docotr.

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likessleep · 28/01/2009 08:39

sorry for not being on before now, and thank you for your posts.
we saw a doctor yesterday who said it is conjunctivitis. got some chlorenphenecol (no chance of spelling that one!). it is such a pain to put in his eyes! is there a nack/trick to it?
thanks

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AmIOdetteOrOdile · 28/01/2009 09:37

TBH the only way we've successfully managed to get drops into the DSs' eyes at that age is ideally for the two of us to do it, one to hold head steady, one to do the drops.
If I have to do it on my own I would lie them on the ground, "straddle" them (i.e. a knee on either side), use the knees to keep their arms pinned to their sides, and then administer drops.
It might sound a bot OTT but it works and ensures the whole process is over very quickly. The element of surprise works too.

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AmIOdetteOrOdile · 28/01/2009 09:38

Oh, and once this conjunctivitis is cleared up, get those Brolene drops and keep them in your medicine cabinet. Next time you see the onset of conjuntivitis give him some Brolene and it should nip it in the bud (you will be very familiar with conjunctivitis by the time he is 2)

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Sycamoretree · 28/01/2009 09:46

IS it drops, or a clear gel-like cream? We have the gel-cream (DH, DD and DS all have it at the moment - it is super contagious so be extra vigilent!). You just squeeze a bit on the tip of your super clean finger and dab it in the inner corner of the eye - nature does the rest - spreads it out etc. SO much easier than drops - ask for the cream next time. You can have better aim with your finger and if you do a big blob, you can be sure some will go in!

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Niecie · 28/01/2009 09:53

If you can get him to lie down with his eyes shut (big ask in a 15mth old I know) you can drop the liquid into the corner of his eyes and he when he opens them it will naturally run into his eye. At least with that method you don't have to drag his eyelid down or get him to keep his eyes open when giving him the drops.

It is annoying though - had it myself this time last year for weeks and couldn't get rid of it. I think you did the right thing going to the docs. The pharmacist was not happy giving me over the counter drops more than once without me having seen the docs. I doubt they would be happy to give them to a toddler at all (or maybe I have just come across very over cautious ones).

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HeadFairy · 28/01/2009 12:00

I gave ds his drops when he was having his bottle of milk in the morning and evening. I know you're supposed to do them 4 times a day, but I did those times and then chanced a pinning him down and squeezing a drop in to his tightly closed eyes one a day and it cleared up pretty quick. I might try the cream next time, makes sense that it's easier.

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likessleep · 28/01/2009 17:37

thanks so much for your responses, the pinning down sounds effective. we have been doing every 2 hours today, so as soon as i get the drops, he starts crying, as he knows what's coming. not ideal, to dilute with tears, but hey ho!
the cream sounds fab, as the drops seem to goes in, he shuts his eyes and cries and it all leaks to the side. but some is definitely going in and i am being generous with the drops.
his better eye seems less gunky now, his worse eye seems less swollen but still gunky. both are still pink. but they seem more 'open' than this time yesterday.
we are going away for a few days tomorrow visiting friends. bit of a dilemma whether to go as they have kids ...