Contact lens or conjunctivitis

[Hermeshandbags]

Woken up this morning with an eye I can’t open and gunk all over it. Would I get a go appointment or go to the optician to ensure I removed my contact lens last night? Pretty sure I did as I always do but now I’m doubting myself. Literally can’t open it or see out of it.

Conjunctivitis. Leaving a contact lens on wouldn’t do that in just one night.
I had conjunctivitis recently it came on really quickly from nothing to thick yellow pus in hours.
Go to the chemist and get some antibiotic drops.

Ps don’t go to the gp they don’t prescribe for conjunctivitis anymore, it’s an illness which is treated over the counter like a cold.

Is the reason you can't open it because it is too swollen or because it is stuck together?

Yes I can’t open it because it is gunked together and swollen. I have used cooled boiled water. There is yellow pus. Very pleasant! So a waste of time going to the gp’s then?

I would say it sounds like conjunctivitis- go to the chemist to get some ointment for it

For the moment I would keep cleaning with cool boiled water and apply cold compresses. Separate towel! Being upright can help with the swelling. Do look up peri-orbital cellulitis so you can rule that out. If you can't then gp, not pharmacist (personal experience)

In my experience (as someone who has slept with contact lenses more often than I'd admit) that sounds like conjunctivitis. A lens in overnight usually just makes the lens a bit sticky, and my eyes dry and itchy also gets my hopes up that my sight has been cured in my sleep

I agree. I even managed to wear two contact lenses in the same eye recently. Only at the end of the day did I discover why I couldn't see. I just ended up with a very dry hot red eye.

It sounds more like an infection.

I have had pus and swelling from sleeping in contacts, but not to the degree of not being able to open my eye. I’ve also had the miracle of clear sight waking up 😂

I think pharmacy would be my first call and a telephone conversation with the optician for an opinion.

Thanks everyone. Went to the pharmacy and she finished servicing the person in front of me, looked up at me and the first thing she said was ‘oh shit’. Not what you want to hear! Anyway she said bad conjunctivitis and not a contact left in in her opinion. Looks hideously swollen and full of gunk but at least that’s all it is! Thanks for the advice.

Can you buy conjunctivitis medicine over the counter in the UK.
In Ireland you've to get a prescription from the GP ( a visit costs €60 )
Next time I'm in Northern Ireland I'll get some if it's non prescription.

You poor thing Hermes.
I hope the drops kick in quickly.

Hermeshandbags
Did you get the antiobiotic for conjunctivitis over the counter.

@beanaseireann yes it's an OTC med now. They will ask who it's for, whether they wear lenses etc as it's for acute cases, so if you're stocking up then be ready to fib... Same if it's for your dog... I have to do this every summer for mine!

Well I got some eye drops, she didn’t say they were antibiotics; they are called optrex infected eye drops. Nothing about do I wear lenses. Should I give it a few days to work and if not go back and ask for the antibiotic ones?

They are antibiotic drops OP: www.nhs.uk/medicines/chloramphenicol/

Very poor consultation if they didn't ask about contact lenses, as you must not wear them when you have an eye infection.

Thank you. Will try and get hold of some. I wasn’t going to wear my lenses anyway but yes it should have been advised that was the case.

No, the Optrex Infected Eye Drops - they are chloramphenicol drops, which is an antibiotic. No need to change anything!

Oh I see, sorry, funny how having a dodgy eye affects concentration! Perfect. Thank you.

Hermeshanbags I hope your infection clears up. It looks nasty.
Could it be an eyelash area that got infected ?

Thank you Twatting Dog. Its crazy you can't get conjunctivitis remedy, StJohns Wort or Nytol One a Night without a doctors prescription in Ireland for €60 but if you cross the border into Northern Ireland you can buy over the counter.

There are so many things that can go wrong with eyes. I have been wearing contact lenses fur 20 years, and in that time have had corneal ulcers and keratitis. Never conjunctivitis though. My ulcer made my eye swell up almost identically to your photo.

If you wear monthly lenses do not wear either of them again as the infection could be on them and transferred to the other lens. If you are keeping the holder wash it in boiling water.

Hope your eye clears up soon! I am a lens wearer too so I feel your pain!! This time of year my eyes are always bad because of hayfever!

Your eyelids are really quite swollen. Is your conjunctiva red?

I’m not sure which part the conjunctiva is but will google it. They are both getting like it now. Wonder what the morning will bring. Just concerned whether I should be going to the GP. Or whether I’m being over the top!

The conjunctiva is the filmy watery layer over the eye. Conjunctivitis is extremely infectious so you need to make sure you wash your hands thoroughly after you touch your eye and don’t share face cloths or towels.