To ask for your help with my eye!

[Swolleneye]

On Thursday my eye felt sore and irritated, like something was in it. Woke up yesterday and it’s quite swollen, really red and watery. Pharmacy gave me some eye drops, I religiously put them in every two hours but this morning I have woken up and my eye is even more swollen!! It looks AWFUL. I’ve never had an eye infection before, does it get worse before it gets better?! It’s my daughters christening on Sunday and I’m so worried it’s not going to be better by then.

You'll have a better chance of getting into an optician today rather than gp I'd say. Also optician will be able to see back of eye etc w their equipment. Optician can also refer if necessary. I'd pop into your optician first thing this morning rather than later in day. They'll be able to deal or tell you where you need to go.... And with an opticians referral it should carry more weight than your own convo with a GP receptionist for example.

Ps I worked for an optician for four years.

I had very similar symptoms a few months ago. Phoned the GP, who told me to go to the optician. (Not all optiticians will do emergencies, so check beforehand). The optician diagnosed a corneal ulcer and referred me up to eye a&e clinic. Got seen there and given the right treatment.

The other option is a&e, but an optician will probablybe able to to treat you with much less hanging around!

Until very recently I worked in Ophthalmology at a hospital. I learnt one very important thing: you only get one set of eyes! You're not wasting their time. The emergency eye clinic is set up for cases such as yours. There are a multitude of reasons eyes become inflamed. Infections are just one. I assume the over the counter drops contain chloramphenicol? You do have any other medical conditions to consider? GPs are great but eyes move quickly and I would say get yourself off to the hospital today.

Optician for eye problems not A&E.

Specsavers rum emergency appointments for these situations.

I’d be considering eye casualty for this, but it seems you don’t have one so optician is the best start. I’m worried about you describing it as swollen - do you mean the eyelids and around the eyes? If so that could be an emergency. Also things like episcleritis and corneal ulcers warrant emergency care

Yes around the eye and eyelid is swollen so my eye looks about half the size of my other eye. Specsavers near me opens at 8.30 so will straight on the phone to them. Thanks for all your advice. I will update.

Don't go to a and e for an eye infection. Get a gp appointment or go to your local walk in centre. Please not a and e.

Raver84, what a clueless and dangerous thing to say.

Go to your optometrist. If you’re in England the provision will vary, some will be part of extended care groups, other will do the bare minimum but they are better place for looking at your eyes than a GP. By a hundred miles. Wales has a shared care scheme and Scottish optoms are your first point of contact for any eye problems. Your optom should
Be able to decide if a referral to an ophthalmology a&e is appropriate and they can arrange that- some places have a walk in a&e, others require referral, depends where you live. As usual a lot of the MN advice about eyes is woefully anecdotal so don’t be too alarmed.

A and E was exactly where Specsavers told DS to go.

And that without examining him

Adenovirus causing conjunctivitis is going around at the moment. I would see an optician and get done advice. Lubricating eye drops and pain relief really helped although it lasted 2.5 weeks.

I can't use drops that contain preservative because they irritate my eyes. I'd try optician - they can refer you if they deem it necessary.

PSA: if you are ever diagnosed with iritis/uveitis, ensure that you mention any back or joint pain to your provider, as well as any family history of autoimmune arthritis.

It sounds odd, but iritis/uveitis can be caused by some types of autoimmune arthritis, and the eye problems can actually present years before the joints are ever affected.

I would absolutely recommend that the OP see an eye professional. There are some VERY nasty problems that can affect the eyes, and you don't want to mess around with them. If the optician is concerned they will refer you on.

@mari50 can you be sure the OP has an infection? Eye swelling as per my previous post can be caused by many things. Infection being just one. And, yes, some may be an emergency. I have, unfortunately, seen patients lose some or all of their sight due to not attending the emergency eye clinic quickly enough.

@LMW1990 , yes, I needed a&e in a similar situation and I'm so glad I went.

Rather than clogging up a&e with self limiting conjunctivitis

Have you some kind of special power that has enabled you to diagnose the condition affecting the op’s eye??

It's likely your GP will tell you to see an optician. Opticians have the equipment needed to look at the eye in more detail than a GP. I work at an opticians and we see people under something called CORRS which is a Community Ophthalmic Referral Refinement Scheme. Some areas call It PEARS (Primary Care Eye Assessment Referral Scheme). Any optician registered under these schemes will see you as part of the NHS (you do not need to be a patient of theirs) and will carry out an examination relevant to the condition you present with and refer you to see an ophthalmologist or back to your GP if it's something medical that's caused it. Have a look on the internet and see if you can find an optician local to you registered under these schemes and give them a ring.

In my area the scheme is called MECS - minor eye conditions service.

I spoke to two opticians who both told me to go to a&e. I’m here now in their urgent GP clinic. Thanks everyone for all the advice. Fingers crossed it’s nothing serious.

Fingers crossed, and let us know if you feel like it.