Conjunctivitis help

[Whippetrealgood]

Hello!
Happy New Year.

I'm looking for viral conjunctivitis experiences please.
I've had a severely swollen and red eye with watery discharge for a week now. I've used the paste from the pharmacy (ch.. something) to no improvement, so I assume it's viral. I'm also on oral antibiotics (48 hours in) for a throat infection.

Both my eyes are so swollen I can hardly open them and constantly leaking watery discharge. They hurt. I went to the walk in yesterday (about my throat) and they said just keep wiping with cool boiled water.

Someone please reassure me you've had it this badly and it miraculously cleared up one day? I can't bear the thought of another week or two like this- every morning I wake up hoping for improvement but it's just the same and nothing brings any relief :( I'm just spending all day in bed with my eyes closed. Throat infection obviously not helping matters.

Any reassuring experiences?

If you’re worried about your eye go first and foremost to an optician, their entire specialty is your eye. If they are worried they will signpost you.
Hope all clears up soon, I cannot imagine how uncomfortable that is.

Day 6 here and I’m only just starting to see the whites of my eyes again instead of bloodshot. Good it’s been so painful! I’ve never had an eye infection before.
Are you talking ibuprofen too, seems to help a little.
I think if you don’t start to see a little improvement in the next day or so, you may have to see optician. Hope you feel better soon

@Applecrumble24 did it spread to your other eye too? Sorry to hear you're also suffering!

@Alliscalmallisnotbright thanks, will look for an optician if no improvement. Sounds like there's very little that can be done for viral conjunctivitis :(

@Whippetrealgood Yes it spread to the other eye too.
I also started with a sore throat and ear ache 🤷‍♀️ weird bug!

That does sound viral. If your vision isn’t affected there isn’t that much you can do.
using cold compresses helps - cold water on a cotton wool pad, a different one for each eye.
It’s very contagious, make sure you’re washing your pillow cases daily and changing towels.

if your vision is blurred, if you can see a white spot on your cornea (the bit over the coloured part of the eye) or if it hasn’t improved by Monday, I’d go and see someone then.

I think it may be slightly better today.. but only very slightly. Just wish it would bugger off!

How is it today?

Some places have NHS eye health appointments, with specially trained opticians. Not all postcodes alas.

See here: https://primaryeyecare.co.uk/services/minor-eye-conditions-service/

Oh my goodness: this sounds exactly like what my mum has recently had. We have all had the flu (proper flu; first time I’ve ever had it in my life) and mum was left with what started as a red and itchy eye. Within a few days, both eyes were severely swollen, painful, watering and leaking discharge constantly.

She was also given oral antibiotics and told that unless the vision was impacted, just carry on with prescribed eyedrops and cooled boiled water. She spent two weeks wearing her sunglasses inside because any light was excruciatingly painful.

She’s over it now, finally, after three weeks. Good luck OP: I hope it isn’t quite so bad for you.

Thanks everyone for the advice and support. Today is day 8, and it's finally a bit better. Still red and itchy but less sore and weepy. Hopefully another day or 2 and it'll be gone!

I've had viral conjunctivitis for over 6 weeks now. It doesn't sound as bad as yours but both eyes very red and weepy. I've been to the optician and had some drops but they didn't help much. So fed up of it now.

Full sympathy @Malbecmoron it's absolutely horrible isn't it. So uncomfortable. One eye is almost back to normal but the other not quite there yet. Sick to the back teeth of it!

Yay!
It's likely your eyes are going to be a bit dry for the next few weeks. Get some lubricants from the chemist/supermarket/opticians.
Ones containing sodium hyaloronate are best, preferably non-preserved. If your eyes feel gritty put them in three times a day.

Well I'm just back from the eye clinic with 2 weeks worth of antibiotics and 2 months of steroids for damage to the cornea from the infection 🫠 really hope this will be the end of it!

Yikes, poor you!
Hope you're feeling much better soon.