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Original poster

Look at this eye - cellulitis? Or am I panicking. A&E

27 replies

LimitIsUp · 05/10/2022 18:47

18 year old son's eye. Woke today with a small swelling. Its got bigger. Its a bit tingly / itchy but no other symptoms. Should I whizz him down to Urgent Treatment Centre (he is resisting)

Look at this eye - cellulitis? Or am I panicking. A&E
OP posts:
Original poster
LimitIsUp · 05/10/2022 18:48

He thinks its a mosquito bite in a sensitive location. But would the swelling increase over time?

OP posts:
reallyworriedjobhunter · 05/10/2022 18:49

I would. Because it's so close to his eye and infections can track down the optic nerve. Better safe than sorry.

Haggisfish3 · 05/10/2022 18:49

I would give antihistamine and see if it goes down indicating allergic reaction. And draw round it. And then potentially go to urgent treatment centre of it doesn’t respond or gets bigger/tracks.

Original poster
LimitIsUp · 05/10/2022 18:50

That's my feeling but he thinks I am overreacting (know it all teens)

OP posts:
alexdgr8 · 05/10/2022 18:52

reallyworriedjobhunter · 05/10/2022 18:49

I would. Because it's so close to his eye and infections can track down the optic nerve. Better safe than sorry.

agree.
don't delay.
brook no opposition.
let us know how you get on.

Original poster
LimitIsUp · 05/10/2022 18:55

I wish I had thought about antihistamine earlier today. Just given him one but don't want to wait too long to assess whether it is working since Urgent Treatment Centres close at 9pm ish and the waits in A&E if UTC is closed are horrendous

OP posts:
whereamu · 05/10/2022 18:58

As it's so close to the eye take him down there and if it gets better while you are waiting then you can leave. If not then at least you are in the queue already!

Mercedesbenz2022 · 05/10/2022 18:58

Yes take him to the local walk in place
as pp said better safe than sorry

Seeline · 05/10/2022 18:59

Is it itchy?

Or is it painful?

My DH has had cellulitis several times, including on his face, and it is really, really painful (and he rarely complains about anything).

Anothernameonthewall · 05/10/2022 18:59

Other half (paediatrician) suggests DR now. Get an out of hours appointment. It's his eye, don't take any risks.

OnTheBrinkOfChange · 05/10/2022 19:01

Make a £10 bet. If it's a waste of his time he gets a tenner. If it isn't you get a tenner.

wackamole · 05/10/2022 19:06

I've had cellulitis (once; no idea of the cause but that was the diagnosis) and that looks consistent with what I experienced - I initially left it, and it was MUCH worse the next day. I would go today, or be prepared to go tomorrow morning.

It's hard to tell for sure from the picture and without seeing his "normal" eye, but it looks like the area just under his eyebrow is swollen, in addition to the swelling under his eye. A mosquito bite, even if he's allergic, probably wouldn't do both. Also, I didn't have intense pain or itching - it was extremely uncomfortable, but mainly due to pressure from the swelling.

sleeping@last · 05/10/2022 19:06

Hi OP,

This is

sleeping@last · 05/10/2022 19:08

Sorry posted too soon. Im positive it's orbital cellulitis. If you call your specsavers first thing and tell them this is what you suspect, they will fast track you to the hospital.

alexdgr8 · 05/10/2022 19:13

this need urgent medical attention.
don't delay or deviate to other options.
good luck.

ivegotthisyeah · 05/10/2022 19:17

Take him my son had this in his eye we were in hospital for a week I thought it was conjunctivitis 🫣

girlwhowearsglasses · 05/10/2022 19:19

OP go to A and E. If it is cellulitis he will need iv antibiotics for 3 days- we had this with DS3 with a mosquito bite near the eye. They take it very seriously near the eye because of the optic nerve being so close to the brain. There’s a brain infection risk.

take a bag. Even if he feels ok they will need to keep him in for the IV

Etinoxaurus · 05/10/2022 19:25

Pretty certain that’s orbital cellulitis.
Don't wait until tomorrow.
Flowers

Original poster
LimitIsUp · 05/10/2022 19:29

@girlwhowearsglasses Did you ds3 feel any pain or discomfort?

OP posts:
Wowzel · 05/10/2022 19:39

You need to take him to a&e tonight, it can lead to serious infection/loss of an eye

SummerHouse · 05/10/2022 19:44

Yes, go. Better to go and it be a waste of time than wait till tomorrow and it be worse. Hope all is well.

Ethelfromnumber73 · 05/10/2022 20:13

Just go in- it looks like orbital cellulitis and if so, it needs urgent treatment

girlwhowearsglasses · 05/10/2022 20:20

It wasn’t that painful but we were at an event and the St Johns ambulance people told us to go straight to A & E. We were worried because of the speed it flared up.

the pain isn’t an indicator of the seriousness in this case.

stampdutyquestion · 05/10/2022 20:35

I don't want to scare you but my DD had this and it looked exactly the same. 3 days on IV antibiotics- you need a&e urgently. We were told it could infect the optic nerve, lead to meningitis and potentially be fatal. It was preseptile peri-orbital cellulitis. It developed really quickly. Good luck

KitKat1985 · 05/10/2022 20:41

I had something similar once and it was an infected tear duct.