is this Conjunctivitis?

[Blatherskite]

I had flu-like symptoms for most of last week - Sore throat, head ache, ear ache, nasal pain, body aches - started feeling better on Thursday/Friday but still have a sore throat.

On Friday, I'd woken up with sticky, sleppy eyes and my eyes felt really dry but I put it down to the central heating and carried on. Friday night, we were out at SIL's birthday party and I put my sore, sticky eyes down to wearing contact lenses and being very tired as we didn't get home till 2.30am.

On Saturday, it felt like I'd slept in my contacts even though I hadn't and my eyes were sticky and a little bloodshot and stuck together with 'sleep'. Again, I put it down to being overtired.

On Sunday, I still had the sticky, sore and now even more bloodshot eyes and woke up with lots of 'sleep' again.

This morning again, they're bloodshot, sore and very gooey and sticky and I've still got the sore throat. My eyes are so bloodshot now, they just look pink!

If it is Conjunctivitis, should I see a doctor or will they clear up by themselves? Is there anything I should be doing to help them clear up?

I'm supposed to be taking 12 month old DD to her first ever swimming lesson today but I'm guessing I should probably avoid swimming pools, especially one full of 6 month old to 2 year old babies!?

Bathing them with cool, salt water will help, I've only had it once and this helped a lot and it cleared up after a few days. Are you leaving your contact lenses out? If they are disposable I would throw away the ones you were using and start with new ones once it clears up.

The last time one of my DCs had it I was told by the practice nurse that antibiotics are no longer routinely prescribed unless it is a severe attack, eg lasting more than a week, you can however buy some at the pharmacist.

RE the swimming, a shame to miss it, but I really don't think it would be fair to go if you will be in the water with her, which presumably you will be at 12 mo.

Oh yes, swimming is cancelled. I would have to go in the water and it would be unfair on the other 11 babies for me to be in with them.

I've booked an appointment to see the Minor Illness nurse at my doctors surgery to have them looked at now they've been sore for 4 days. I use daily disposable contacts so the one's I wore over the weekend were binned straight away and I'm wearing my glasses now.

Will give the salt water a try. Thank you for replying.

If you have a discharge from your eyes, it most likely is conjunctivitis. And that sounds like what you've described.

If the discharge is thick/pus-like/yellow/green then it is bacterial conjunctivitis. Anti-biotic eye drops can speed up the healing process although it should clear up on its own. Look from Chloramphenicol. Can get it from the pharmacy as Optrex for infected eyes.

If the discharge is watery, then it is more likely to be viral conjunctivitis and antibiotics won't help.

If it lasts more than a week you need to get it looked at - by an Optometrist (proper Optician) I would say to make sure it's not more serious.

Definitely don't wear contact lenses until it is fully cleared up.

I am a vetran of all sorts of eye infections. I could well be conjunctivitis, in which case salt water (1sp salt/Pint boiled water) and chloramphenicol will help. See GP or Nurce anyway though, in case it is something diffrerent (iritis/uvetis or blepheritis).

Iritis and uveitis wouldn't present with discharge/sleep. Overwhelming thing would be pain.

Blepharitis - not an acute problem, although can aggrevate an eye infection.

I agree that you should go to see a specialist, although most GPs won't know the difference, hence suggesting an eye specialist.

True enough miffles, I have never had iritis/uvetis without also having conjunctivitis though!

I went to see the Nurse at the Minor Ilness clinic at my doctors this morning. She said it was Viral Conjunctivitis which would fit with your description as the discharge is watery. She gave me some chloramphenicol anyway as she said that it's likely that a viral infection could turn into a bactierial one before it goes and while they're not doing anything for the burning or the redness, they do seem to be making my eyes a little more comfortable, maybe just because of the extra moisture.

It all started on Friday so it's been 4 days now. Will have a look for an Optometrist if they're still sore at the end of the week and am avoiding contacts and swimming until it's cleared up.

Should I just clean them with the salt water? Wipe over with a cotton ball??

Are your eyelids sore and/or red or swollen?

I get blepharitis and it is really unpleasant and can present much like viral conjunctivitis, my eyes are very red, sore and a bit gritty and snotty, but the overwhelming difference is how swollen my eyelids get.

Keep using the drops and throw them away at the end of the course. It won't hurt to bathe your eyes in warm salt water (boiled water that you have allowed to cool) or diluted baby shampoo and do that a few times a day - even if it's only viral conjunctivitis that will also soothe the dryness.

They don't feel swollen. Overwhelming feeling is of sticky lower lids and sore eyeballs. No real gritty feeling.

It feels like I've slept in my contacts even though I haven't.