Worrying about my eye :/

[Jsp]

Hello everyone. I woke up this morning, with my eye feeling sore, looking blood shot, watering a hell of a lot and unable to open my eye beyond half way. I just rinsed it with warm water on and off all day. After a few hours I could open my eye more or less fully, although it still looks a bit constricted. The left side of my eye looks blood shot and it aches to blink and sometimes aches when I move my eye around.

I'm really worried about it. I've been looking on Google about eye infections and some say you need to go to A&E! I don't really know what to do :( I put a warm compress on it this morning, but that just made it ache a bit so I just lightly pressed it on it. I also rinsed it with luke warm water with a small amount of baby shampoo in it.

Anyone know what it could be? I'm really worried it's something serious :(

[swgrl09]

Could be a stye, which you can treat with just warm compress a few times a day on it.

Could also be pink eye, which needs antibiotics. It's not dangerous as you just take antibiotics to get rid of it but it is HIGHLY contagious. That is why they want you to go in to the doctor because it is so easy to spread to other people.

[Jsp]

I was thinking about a stye, as I've had a few in the past and it has a similar achey feeling to what I have now, but I see no stye at all on my eye lid!

I was also thinking about the possibility of pink eye as I know it is fairly common and easily to catch.

Also, sometimes I get pain from it radiating around the eye area. Is this normal? :S

I think I will leave it for tonight and just rinse my eye every now and then, and see how it is tomorrow. If it's not improved I'll probably pop into the pharmacy and see if they can give me anything, if not I suppose I'll have to ring the doc :(

[Annie0904]

It sounds like conjunctivitis. Someone else posted that they have this today also. You will need eye drops and antibiotics. If it is this, it is infectious so use a different towel to others.

[Jsp]

Thank you both for your replies.

Is it possible to have conjunctivitis without any icky discharge then? I always assumed that was a main symptom! I haven't ever had it though so I wouldn't know.

[Annie0904]

Thank you both for your replies.

Is it possible to have conjunctivitis without any icky discharge then? I always assumed that was a main symptom! I haven't ever had it though so I wouldn't know.

Yes it is, especially in the beginning, it is best to get the eye drops before it gets to that stage.

[Jsp]

Okay. I will pop in the chemist tomorrow then and see if they have anything to tide me over until I see a doctor :) thanks.

[Annie0904]

I got this from the NHS website for you. If it is not too bad the eye drops should be ok without the need for antibiotics and your pharmacist should be able to tell you if it is conjunctivitis
Infective conjunctivitis

Most cases of infective conjunctivitis do not require medical treatment and will clear up in one to two weeks.
Self-care
There are several ways that you can treat infective conjunctivitis at home. The following advice should help ease your symptoms:
Remove your contact lenses. If you wear contact lenses, take them out until all the signs and symptoms of the infection have gone. Avoid using contact lenses until 24 hours after you have finished a course of treatment. Do not re-use the lenses after the infection has passed as the old lens could be a potential source of re-infection.
Use lubricant eye drops. These are available over the counter at pharmacies or they may be prescribed for you. They may help ease any soreness and stickiness in your eyes. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Gently clean away sticky discharge from your eyelids and lashes using cotton wool soaked in water.
Wash your hands regularly. This is particularly important after you have touched your infected eyes and will stop the infection spreading to other people.

[Jsp]

Aw thanks a lot for that link :) I will follow that advice!

By the way, is it normal for it to hurt?! Everywhere I've read online have said that this means it is bad. My eye aches especially during blinking! I just read just now that if you have eye pain and redness you need to go to the emergency room! :(

[Anxious_gal]

do you have any sinus problems, I find they can make my eyes ache.
I'd say you could have a mild infection, cold tea bags are said to help for some reason, I think the doctor will give you antibiotic eye drops.
But I've gotten eye cream in the shop that worked really well, as I kept getting a sore sticky eye. It's always going to be worse in the morning, maybe keep your pillow case clean, and maybe some water and a towel near the bed to wipe your eye if you wake up in the night just to keep the clean.
when my eye got sore, it was really sticky, blood shot, achy/sharp pains, blurry and found it hard to open, luckily the eye cream I used worked pretty good.

You wouldn't need to go to the er, you don't have a fever and as long as you can open your eye you should be fine :)

[Annie0904]

If it is painful I would suggest you do see your doctor as you may need antibiotics. Do you have an out of hours surgery that you could go to tonight? I guess the quicker you get treatment the quicker it will heal.

---------- Post added at 20:55 ---------- Previous post was at 20:53 ----------

also, I wouldn't bathe your eye with baby shampoo. The only thing you should really bathe eyes with is a sterile saline solution.

[Jsp]

Nope I don't have an out of hours doctor, and no way of getting there either really. I'm really worried I'll like go blind or it will spread to my brain if its serious :(

My eye isn't even that red, just an area of it is when I look to the right.

[Annie0904]

I would just try not to touch it at all tonight and see the pharmacist tomorrow. If it isn't really red but just painful it could be a stye but the pharmacist will be able to tell by looking at it what it is.

[Jsp]

There is a red patch but its not visible unless I look to the right. I hope its nothing serious. Anyway after college tomorrow I'll have a walk up there and see what he has to say :)