Conjunctivitus - Have been told by nurse just to bathe it in warm water and baby shampoo???

[ConnorTraceptive]

Title says it all really - saw the practise nurse this morning as I have quite bad conjunctivitus and she said the new advice was to bathe it regularly in cooled boiled water with a drop of baby shampoo in it.

Anyone else been given this advice.

I'm no particularly doubting her it's just I wear contact lenses most of the time and have had a very bad eye infection in the past so anything to do with my eyes makes me nervy.

How long should I give it to see if the infection clears?

God I can't go back I saw her monday as I have thrush and today with my eyes I'll get struck off!!

I've never heard of this - dd had conjunctivitis recently and we were prescribed ointment. May be different for children though. Why not try the pharmacist should be able to get drops over the counter?

for anything eye related i have always bathed in cooled boiled water (when its still warm) but i don't wear contacts. Maybe speak to your optician and see what they suggest as well? Otherwise, depending on how bad it is i would go back in 2/3 days.

There is another thread in AIBU with conjuctivitus advice on new guidlines atm. the one about playgroups and cms. Apparently it is better to let it run is course with no antibiotics.

I would bathe in water but def not put baby shampoo in! but maybe there is some scientific reasoning.

Are you breast feeding or know someone that is? Breast milk is suposed to work wonders with this.

*supposed

maybe because the babyshampoo will help unstick the eyelashes quicker, as ime, babies dont like having their eyes wiped long enough to de-gunk.
Plus baby shampoois no more tears so no threat of irritation?

Salt water is helpful, too, a GP friend told me. We never go for antibiotics now and just use this and it seems to clear as quickly.

I'm not breast feeding but am 35 weeks pregnant and never really stopped lactating after finishing b/f with ds two years ago.

Good god am i actually contemplating squeezing out left over breast milk to rub in my eyes

Do it! It works, it's sterile and a natural antiseptic.

Worth a shot I suppose!

Will make sure bathroom door is well locked!

i second the breast milk advice.

I've used echinacea and water to good effect before now.

remember not to use cotton wool though or you might get left over fibres in your eyes!!

I think there is some new/updated advice about this. Took my Ds to Gp with both eyes sore and green gunk. The gp said in most cases they advise t bathe with cooled boiled salty water and clean cotton wool for both eyes. they only advise antibiotic drops if it doesnt clear after a few weeks or obviously if it becomes severe, i suppose they mean if the eye is painful or swollen or you can't keep up with the discharge.

I would never worry about going to Gp,if you have had a previous severe infection then it may be safer to get some drops anyway. I am sure the GP won't mind at all as your eyes are pretty darned important!!

do the breastmilk thing !

I wash my eyes with antibac soap if I ever have it - works a treat and doesnt sting...much

Message withdrawn

the baby shampoo contains detergent which (very effectively) breaks down the bacterial cell wall, thus killing the bugs

But it's not proper breast milk now it's changed to that sticky yellowy white stuff!!
I'm sure there is a better termn for it

Not sure how I managed to b/f ds I know naff all about the technicalities of breast milk