conjunctivitis question

[mtemm]

a week ago last monday we started treating our 2 year old daughter for her first case of pink eye (took us all weekend to realize what it was, its a first for us). anyway, the meds said 5-7 days, we went with 7 days and all is good. (we missed one dose on the 6th day, one on the 7th, the meds are 3x a day). I cleaned everything several times during the week, and in spite washing my hands until they were raw, last friday I came down with it. started the meds immediately, and kept washing and washing and washing.

dd has been fine, but this morning woke up with some gunk in her eye (dh's words, I didn't see it). he wasn't sure it wasn't just some sleep in her eyes. she has no other symptoms that it is coming back...her eyes are clear, she's not itching them and says they don't hurt or anything.

what do you think? any experts? I'll call the peds as soon as they are open, but was wondering if anyone has had experience with this. we have a cookie decorating party to go to this morning, and I obviously don't want to infect the other kids, but don't want to miss it if we don't have to.

 

[miss missy]

I used to get it all the time. If its not red and watering, I would say it was fine.

Do you have a real Christmas tree? My eyes seems to be allergic to them weird but true. I have to be careful and not touch rub my eyes during this season.

 

[mtemm]

thanks! we do have a real tree...I wonder if it is bothering her. interesting.

 

[minkydog]

Conjunctivitis is pretty distinctive, The whites of the eyes turn red, there is lots of gooey discharge, and lots of eye-rubbing. They wake up in the morning with eyes matted shut. Bacterial conjunctivitis requirs a new antibiotic each time, so throw away your old prescription--you don't want to reinfect yourselves.

Allergies are often mistaken for pinkeye, but the symptoms are different. Eyeballs are usually not pink. The discharge is watery, like tears. Usually the nose will be runny too, with the same clear discharge. And they often have dark patches under the eyes, called "allergic shiners". You don't need antibiotics for this. Claritin or some other allergy med will help. If you think the Christmas tree is doing it(a lot of people are allergic to their trees--my DH is highly allergic) then you have to put the tree outside or she will do this for the rest of the month.

Good luck. hope ya'll have a great time at the cookie party.

 

[rgf207]

I used to get Pink eye a lot. I actually had it a couple years ago. There is a noticable difference between allergies and pink eye. I am highly allergic to cats and my eyes get puffed up and the itch but they do not get pink and the discharge is almost like a tear.

With Pink Eye there is usually a puss like discharge from the eye and will often be "sealed shut" in the morning.

If you do think it is allergies, you can try a benedryl and see if that clears it up.

 

[mtemm]

I dont know what to think. her eyes are clear still and no more gunk. I wish I had seen it this morning! her eyes were not sealed shut (they were last week, we got a good taste of pink eye). she definitely had it last week, I ended up getting it, too. blech.

I guess we're going to go. I talked to the peds and she said if there were no more signs, to go ahead.

 

[hydster]

We just went through pink eye here a few weeks ago and it is so frustrating! I got it from my 11 yr old and of course got it much worse than he did. If you did the meds for the week as you were told and her eyes are clear, not itching, not hurting and not oozing I'd say you are fine and to go decorate cookies.