Re: Advice for Pink Eye?
06/28/04 08:14 AM
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Yikes! Pinkeye is the worst!
I worked in a (sleepaway) summer camp infirmary a couple of years ago, and Pinkeye was king. We must have treated oh, 150 kids that summer for the nasty eye infection. As far as I know, you are right about only being contagious until 24hrs after you start antibiotics, BUT, I am concerned that your symptoms have not cleared up yet. It could be that the particular antibiotic you are on is not being effective, in which case you could still be contageous. This means 2 things:
1) You and everyone in your household / workplace should wash your hands with hot soapy water, really rub for 2 minutes, rinse well, and dry on a paper towel,and throw it away, every time you touch your face, every time you pass a sink, every time you think about your eye. Really, constant hand washing is your best defense against spreading. Also, you MUST change your pillowcase nightly. If you share a bed, change your partner's pillowcase nightly as well. Do not touch your eyes, and tell your family to avoid touching their eyes.
2) You need to call your doctor's office and tell them that you haven't had any relief from your symptoms. If this really is a pink eye infection, you could be doing harm by letting it go (essentially) untreated, which is what you are doing if the antibiotic drops you are on are not effective. ALSO, if this is not pinkeye, but actually an allergic reaction or a reaction to some kind of irritant, you need to switch to the appropriate medicine. A lot of people who have never had allergic symptoms in their lives can develop them later, so even if you've never suffered from hayfever or pollen sensitivity, that could be the culprit now. In that case, anti-biotics will not do you any good. If your doctor is convinced that you have pink eye, and is convinced that you are on the right anti-biotic, ask him to prescribe you an additional drop for the symptoms (as the anti-biotic only treats the infection)
In the meantime, a cool washcloth (changed and washed regularly!) can give you some relief. Avoid swimming pools and other situations that can irritate the eyes. And, by all means, do NOT wear contact lenses until you are off the antibiotic. If you have been wearing them, make sure you sterilize them very well before you resume wearing them.
Finally, if you do wear contacts, you should be aware of a condition called GPC (Giant Pappilary Conjunctivitis). It sounds worse than it is, but it is pretty uncomfortable. After years of using traditional contact lens solution and products, I developed a sensitivity to the preservatives. My eyes were gooey all the time, my contact lenses were alwasy fogged, and the undersides of my eyelids itched like crazy. The whites of my eyes were often red and irritated. I had to switch to my glasses for 3 months (in college -- how mortifying) and switched to a perservative-free solution (Aeosept), and it cleared up. This condition is not contagious, but it will persist unless treated.
It just occurred to me that you probably didn't want to read quite so much information, especially with your eyes bothering you, but I feel compelled to share what I learned in that summer camp infirmary. I also have a wealth of knowlege in the areas of poison ivy, food poisoning (don't even ask), and the homesick tummy ache.
Feel better soon!
Panda
PS -- Wipe your keyboard down with Lysol when you are done using it. Same goes for doorknobs and any other surfaces in your home and office.
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Amanda
I live in the Big Apple, but I don't eat the skin
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