Conjunctivitis

[onimolap]

I'm pretty sure I've got it again: the gritty feeling in one eye that's been annoying me all day has this evening spread to both eyes and they're pinkish.

Am I right in thinking there is both a viral form and a bacterial form? Any way of telling from symptoms which you have? How long does each version typically last, and how much dies chloramphenicol shorten the duration of the bacterial form?

How infectious are the two forms? (Do I need to steel myself for the DCs neding time off school soon?)

Thanks for any help!

viral conjuctivitis will clear up on its own and often occurs when you have a cold virus.It is caused by the adenoviruses which are the cause of common colds and chest infections. Bacterial conjunctivitis needs a short course of anti biotic eye drops.

your gp can prescribe chloramphenicol unit dose preservative free eye drops

I can suffer quite badly from conjunctivitis, comes and goes really. One of my sons gets it as well and the school nurse says he needs to stay off school until it's fully cleared. He gets it quite bad though, his pupils go different shapes and all sorts

This brings back memories of when I woke up on a field exercise with my eyes stuck together. I told the medic and he instantly chucked me off the ex because he refused to have to deal with a whole troop of soldiers suffering from conjunctivitis. I was a bit miffed, even more so when it turned out it was just frost that had stuck my eyes together!

Thanks all!

I think it was cold related, as symptoms moved on from eyes in only a day to general stuffiness and has now settled into a sore throat.

No sign of any symptoms in the DCs, so I've let them carry on an usual (albeit with a rather snappy mummie)