Sorry it's me again...!

[MilkyCoffeeAndSkinnySyrup]

I'm sorry everyone! I am just worried if I post this on the general health I may not get response. I should've asked but didn't think!

If you didn't already know, I've been suffering from horrendous conjunctivitis in both of my eyes since Friday last week, and I've finished my drops which hasn't worked. I went to the doctors and they've now prescribed me with chloramphenicol 1% ointment. I decided to just pay for it instead of using prescription so I got it from boots.

The one I had before was 0.5% drops. Does this mean the ointment is stronger in strength? He said it's definitely bacterial as my eyes are weeping yellow fluid, they're still inflamed and red. I am really hoping and praying that this one decides to do its magic! I don't know how much more I can cope.

I think the ointment is better. It stays in your eyes longer. Are you cleaning your eyes with sterile saline before each application?
Scrupulous hand washing and no face cloths or towels near eyes.
Clean pillowcase daily.

Yep! I am cleaning my hands with antibacterial hand wash and use paper towels to dry my hands on. I'm changing my pillow case regularly. I am doing regular cold compresses on both my eyes to reduce inflammation and then the flannel goes straight on a hot wash with everything else I came into contact with. I honestly can't think of anything else I could be doing wrong

I am not using saline. I just used cool boiled water and some cotton balls (I only do one wipe, then it goes straight in the bin and repeat the other eye with a new cotton ball)

This sounds crazy but turmeric powder eye wash cleared my daughter's conjunctivitis. I'm not a hippy but I couldn't get to a pharmacist so googled natural remedies and tried it, couldn't believe it cleared up overnight. You mix turmeric powder with water then clean your eye with cotton wool. Hope it gets better soon.

@Wishiwasonholiday1 I have turmeric here so I'm going to give that a go! :) And thank you so much, me too! It's driving me insane x

You will might end up with a bit of a yellow tinge on your face! but hopefully it'll help clear it for you.

You poor thing!!

Fusidic acid works far better than chloramphenicol if this doesn't help you OP. I am a long standing member of the eye casualty dept and the opthalmologists!

If it is recurring order some VitApos and Hyloforte - these are intense lubricants for eyes that get naturally dry and are prone to conjunctivitis and blepharitis.

All the best for a speedy recovery!

@Wishiwasonholiday1 I have done it! My god it did sting really bad though 😂 I think it's because around the outer eyes is already sore so of course it's going to aggravate it but I know turmeric is harmless so I'm not worrying! Will let you know how it goes tomorrow! Thanks for the tip x

@lardymclardy thank you so much! I didn't know fusidic acid did eye ointments! I remember using the cream a few years ago for a scar that got infected. Thank you so much x

You're welcome, just a thought if the chloremwhatnot doesn't work. I have to have maxitrol now sometimes which is a steroid and not good long term, but trying to keep it at bay with the intense lubricants (it wasn't the average contagious conjunctivitis, diagnosed on year 3 as blepharitis!) I'm constantly squeezing things in my eyes now! I would be careful with powders though unless fully dissolved, the grittiness it making me eek just reading! Good luck! x

*is

Try using camomile tea to wash your eyes, its a remedy when animals get conjunctivitis.

@Wishiwasonholiday1 oh my god.. you are amazing! I woke up this morning.. still had a bit of dried up gunk around my eyes but I wiped it off as usual with water and cotton ball and my eyes are not red! They are so, so much comfortable and relieved now! I am feeling on top of the world today! I am doing it again this morning and again in the evening before bed time. Thank you so much for this! I am still using the chloramphenicol with it but the turmeric is doing a better job at controlling the redness! Thanks again x

@lardymclardy
I've been reading about the steroid as well which is good for inflammation but thankfully @Wishiwasonholiday1 method has worked for that so no need to use it! Oh yes I was very wary of the powder. I made sure it was thoroughly mixed before I put it on my eyes haha. It did work miracles though lol thank you Hun! Thank you all for your help. X

My DSF was an optician, he recommended bathing the eyes with cooled black tea as the tannin helps. Use a separate cotton wool ball each time, never double dip the cotton wool, always wipe from inside to outside. Hot wash flannels, towels and pillowcases. Ideally you should have two tubes of ointment marked left eye, right eye.

So glad you're on the mend! I wasn't suggesting the steroid for you as the GP only very reluctantly gives it to me if I'm bilateral and both top and under eye are swollen so much they are shut, plus photosensitivity!

Isn't it nice to be able to wake up and actually open your eyes X

I used to suffer awfully with conjunctivitis - make up some chamomile tea (6/7/8 bags in about 0.5litres of water) and leave in the fridge. Soak a cotton wool pad in it and rest on the eye - you can also eye bath with it. It's amazing.

Glad the turmeric helped, too!!

Also, you should have a tube of ointment/bottle of drops for each eye to avoid cross contamination..

Glad you're getting better!

Wow, how amazing! I'm going to remember that tip. Whoever thought that a curry spice would be good for your eyes.

Turmeric seems to be a bit of a wonder spice. I've just googled some of things it helps with and will be trying the turmeric tea.

I may pass on the turmeric face pack though. I don't want to risk ending up with a yellow face.

Just logged on to see how you got on, I'm so pleased it worked for you! I was amazed at how quickly it cleared up my daughter's eyes, I'm glad to know it wasn't just a fluke

@Penfold007 I always thought having 2 separate tubes per eye would be better as well?! Or just a bunch of disposable ones instead to also prevent contamination. The ointment is quite difficult to put in without needing to at least touch your eye so the ointment actually lands inside it

@lardymclardy that's what I thought too Hun I know with steroids it has to be used under strict supervision because of how strong it is especially for the eyes! It definitely is amazing to be able to wake up without having to prise my eyes open! Xx

@DaffodilPower thank you for your suggestion! They're all brilliant so far and chamomile sounds so soothing for the eyes as well. I know I should've got two tubes but £5 per tube... I wish they'd just do disposable one-use batches! Thanks so much x

@LakieLady I did have a rather jaundiced face haha! It comes off quite easily though! It wasn't too bad. I don't mind having a yellow face if it means my eyes aren't as sore as they have been these past few days.

Milky I agree. I can't put drops or ointment in without touching. With ointment we were taught to put a blob into the inner lower lid and then very lightly massage and blink loads.