Covid related conjunctivitis

[suzebaxter]

Hi
I had flu like virus in mid January. High temperature, sore throat, cough, tiredness etc. It floored me a few weeks. I never tested for covid, so I don't know what it was for sure. In mid February,I was feeling better and had a look in mirror and noticed my both eyes were bright red and itchy. I realised I had conjunctivitis. I have been to pharmacist, optician, hospital emergency and GP. They all gave me different opinion/diagnosis. I have tried antibiotic eye drops, antihistamine eye drops. None worked. It's been 10 weeks now and no improvement.
Has anyone had similar experience?

Yes my DD had only one symptom of covid - a very red sore eye!

I had this for about 6 months although it wasn't related to Covid. I had many different diagnoses but I'm currently on a long term course of oral antibiotics and steroid drops 4 x a day. Mine is connected to autoimmune issues and my body is basically fighting against my eyes (non medical description!). As a result, they became hugely inflamed including the tear ducts which meant that nothing ever drained from them and it created a 'lake of toxic tears' leading to them being red/irritated/weepy all the time and repeated infections.

Hi Thank you for your quick reply! How long did it take your DD to get rid of Conjunctivitis?

Hi thanks for taking time to reply to my post. What triggered your conjunctivitis if not covid related?

Hi thanks for taking time to reply to my post. What triggered your conjunctivitis if not covid related?

You should go back to the optician. It might be uveitis.

Hi thanks for your suggestion. I have an appointment with consultant ophthalmologist on separate issue in May. I'll have a good chat with him then,

@suzebaxter Not really sure, I had been on a course of oral steroids for something else not long before it started and tapering off them could have caused it. Or I could have initially caught conjunctivitis from my son and then it just sent my body haywire. I have a dodgy immune system anyway so could be random. One of my friends developed uveitis at the end of last year and there didn't seem to be anything that triggered it at all.

I also have an auto immune condition (RA) and it has now 'spread' to my eyes in the way you describe. I have lost sight in one eye due to extensive scarring. I'm under moorfields but unlikely I will regain sight back.
I do think mine was triggered by having covid though.

I had viral conjunctivitis years ago, which didn't clear with anything. In the end, crying resolved it as it washed enough of the viral load from my eyes to give them a chance to recover. The doctor prescribed synthetic tears once we realised. Perhaps try a good weepy if you haven't had a cry for a while?

It was quite a long time for my daughters eye to get better - about a couple of weeks

Update! My optician referred me to eye hospital. Doctor at acute clinic prescribed eye ointment with steroid and antibiotics which finally cleared it.

That's great to hear!
What did they give you?

Hi They gave me Maxitrol ointment. That's a combination of steroid and 2 kinds of antibiotics.😁