How do I know if sticky gungy eyes are conjunctivitis?

[phoebebouffet]

DS has had really sticky gungy eyes since thurs, worse in morning, can't open them, it doesn't really bother him they don't seem to be itchy and the white bits of his eyes aren't red...Any thoughts and tips please!

Does he have a cold? My Ds sometimes gets crusty eyes when he has a cold.

Yes he does!

Sounds like conjunctivitis to me. Nobody's eyes should be so sticky they can't open them. Get it treated now, before it gets worse.

my gp said if eyes are red its conjuctivitis, if not then it is the cold 'gunk' (am adlibbing here) working it way through eyes

clean with cooled boiled water on cotton wool

I took my DD to the chemist yesterday because she has a cold and now has the gunky stuff in eyes, the pharmasist said it was conjunctivitis, and said they now sell antibiotic eye drops over the counter now. They are optrex ones but with antibiotic in them. Her eyes are very swollen and red around the edge but not the white of eye. He definatly should not have sticky eyes. Are you in UK? If so go to chemist and see if you can get the over the counter ones.

Ah Thanks everyone! Am off to the chemist!

Oh yeah and second what littleducks said. Cooled boiled water, and make sure you only wipe eye from inside to out once with each cotton wool ball, to avoid re-infecting the eye.