Constant conjunctivitis!

[Choccablock]

My DC and I seem to be in a continuous loop of conjunctivitis.

DC had it to start with and gave it to me.
I have used 3 bottles of the optrex infected eye drops in the passed 4 weeks.

As soon as I feel it's getting better and I stop the drops, it comes back again!

DC has only had it for a couple of days within this month as the eyedrops seem to clear his up. But maybe I am resistant to the antibiotics in the drops?

I am pregnant- so could this be the issue? Perhaps my immune system isn't good right now and can't get over it. (Such long long waits for a gP appointment. I should probably just book in!)

Any tips other than eyedrops, cleaning with boiled/cooled water and avoiding touching?

I should mention that we obviously do not share the eyedrop bottles!

It must be on something that you're both using....towels maybe, or pillowcases, the bottom sheets on the bed, muslins, favourite soft toy? Wash everything after one use.
If you wear contact lenses, you need to throw away any that have been in your eyes (and the lens case) and then wait until you've been clear for 48 hours.

Just had my DS to the Dr's for what I suspected was Conjunctivitis but turns out it was his eyelashes that were becoming infected, he has Blepharitis. He has ointment for it she said the drops wouldn't help.

Try using the drops for two days after symptoms have cleared.

There are different sorts of conjunctivitis, some need antibiotics. I suggest getting yours checked by an optometrist or pharmacist

Sorry I didn't see all your replies.
Thats interesting to know it could be in the eyelashes.

Underneath yes I did think that. Hmmm I have started using seperate mascara for each eye and haven't been able to wear contact lenses for a month now. (Bad timing when your toddler breaks your glasses! So relying on my old old glasses while they get fixed)

I'll give it another week and see the GP if it persists. These eyedrops taste so awful!

I thought I had conjuctivitis but as a previous poster said, it was blepharitis that can make the eye very sore, not just the eyelid. Blephaclean is good.

Blepharitis presents differently from conjunctivitis.
OP you need to see your Optometrist if you're a lens wearer as there are some eye conditions that are caused/made worse by contact lenses (which is why their sale and supply is regulated).
GPs don't usually have access to the piece of equipment that allows them to examine the front of the eye in detail ( a slit lamp)

How long do you use the drops for? I'm very surprised a pharmacist has been willing to sell them for recurrent infections.

They should be used for five days, regardless of whether the infection clears up sooner. If the infection comes back or isnt clear after 5 days, you need to see the doctor. It may be that there is some resistancy (which is part of the reason you shouldnt keep treating it with the same drug if it isnt working anyway), or it may be that it isnt bacterial conjunctivitis.

General advice for eye infections is that they are self limiting- clean the eyes regularly with warm (cooled) water, and keep hygeine up to prevent reinfection. They usually go away on their own within a week or so. If people want treatment then the drops you have (chloramphenicol) are the strongest available without a prescription.

As an aside, as someone else suggests, this may to be do with you being a contact lense wearer. I used to get frequent infections because my lenses dried my eyes out. I use a better lense now, and limit how long I wear them for. So making an app with your optician is a good idea.