Pink eye AGAIN!

[Lindsey]

Obviously I didn't clean and wash everything well enough, but I'm surprised it took this long for it to come back. I KNOW my eyes were fine yesterday morning because I would have noticed when I was putting on makeup. I didn't notice until last night when I was taking my contacts out that my eyes were VERY red. I was tired all day and on my computer all night, but it looked more red than just eye strain. Scott didn't even notice, so he was no help. I put some antibiotic eye drops in my eyes from last time. This morning there was no doubt, there is no white showing at all :( So I have the day off work and I am going to disinfect EVERYTHING in this place!

[judy]

Poor eyes! I hope you get it this time Linds!

[paula1961]

Ah Lindsey not again! Hope it's gets better soon sweetie.

[Blueyes]

So sorry kiddo!!! Be careful not to touch the tip of your drops to your eyes. Maybe you should go to the doctor again if it doesn't get better quick!

[Lindsey]

Lol I'm most upset that I have to throw out my last pair of contacts because I was wearing them yesterday! I'm also throwing out my eyeliner and my eyeshadow brush because I wore eye makeup yesterday and I don't know if I was infected before that and just not showing symptoms.... I don't know if I'll have to throw out the eyeshadow too, or if I can just take a tissue and scrape off the top layer.

I am so STUMPED as to what I would have touched yesterday that I didn't touch in the past two weeks. I suppose it could have been almost anything, because we've been putting our baseboards back on and moving all of the furniture for access. How do I get the germs out of furniture? :( Anything solid I will wipe down with bleach, but what about the couches and anything else fabric?

[judy]

It could be allergic conjunctivitis. Check this out..

http://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/conjunctivitis.htm

(My best guess would be that it was the makeup, but if it does come back again, it's time to go back to the doctor)

[Lindsey]

Thanks Judy! I wonder if it has to do with the renovations... there has been a LOT of sawdust in the condo from all the cutting we've been doing (We were working on the laminate floors the first time I got it, and this past weekend we were cutting baseboards). I have never had eye problems before from things like that, but I suppose some allergies can develop over time.

I have an appointment with my optometrist next week for my annual eye exam, so I'll mention it to her. For now I'm using my leftover eye drops from last time (I know I'm not supposed to do that, but sitting in a waiting room to see a doctor isn't appealing, and it's only been 3 weeks since I finished using them!) and it's been clearing up a lot.

I did a bit of research on how long the germs from pink eye can stay alive on surfaces, and it turns out most should be gone in 24 hours... so it doesn't make sense that three weeks can pass without anything. Of course, germs can stay alive longer on makeup, so that's the most probable, unless of course it is just an allergic reaction.

[Blueyes]

How are your eyes doing, Lindsey?

[DianaB]

So sorry, Lindsey. I was going to suggest tossing your mascara and eye liner but you've already figured that out. Hugs!!! I hope that you're better.

[Lindsey]

They're doing a lot better now. I'm still wearing glasses and using the drops every day just to be safe. I only have one pair of contacts left and I don't want to ruin them!

[gja1000]

Glad to hear your eyes are doing much better!!!

[2tiredmom]

Oh how I hate Pink Eye. When my kids were little it seemed like they got it all the time then they would give it to me. I feel for you. Hope it's better soon.

[pope1982]

Hope you're back to 100% soon, pink eye is such a pain :mad:

[Lindsey]

I spoke too soon :mad: This afternoon my left eye started feeling sore, and everytime I blinked there would be a shooting pain backwards into my head. On my way home, I checked in my rearview mirror and noticed a large red spot just beside my pupil. When I got home I looked closer and the bottom of the eye was red too when I looked up. I went to lay down with my eyes closed for an hour and when I got up, BOTH eyes are completely red again :mad::mad::mad:

I haven't even stopped using the drops yet. I'm starting to think maybe this isn't just pink eye.

[gja1000]

I'm thinking this isn't pink eye either - I think back to the Dr.

[Lindsey]

I am going to the optometrist on Wednesday for my annual eye exam. I'm hoping I can still go with this problem and ask for advice, instead of just going to a general doctor.

[Blueyes]

That's great that you'll see the eye doctor. It's bound to be something else! Take care, sweety:)

[Lindsey]

Ugh. My right eye is fine. I think it just looked a little red last night because I had just gotten up from a nap. The left eye, however, is RED. I'm 99% sure this ISN'T pink eye. Most of the eye is fine, and it looks normal when I'm looking forward, but when I look up, the whole bottom side of the eyeball is bright blood red. It's also painful to close my eyes even just to blink, and the whole area around my eye hurts to touch. I decided to stop with the antibiotic eye drops.

On top of that I had a massive nose bleed on my way to work this morning... it bled for about 10 minutes of driving and another 5 minutes at the office :(

I am so ready to have nothing wrong with me again lol

[gja1000]

OK now, maybe you have a bleeding problem - or a clotting problem - which is why the eye is red - the red is blood that has leaked out.

See what you eye doc says tomorrow (I think it's tomorrow) and then maybe go to your family doctor to get checked out.

[Lindsey]

Thanks for your reply Gayle. From what I researched today it looks like it could be either a burst blood vessel, or an object scratching my eye, or something about too much pressure (it feels like a lot of pressure and is very painful to close my eyelids over the eye). Some of it can be really serious so I stopped reading so I don't get too nervous about tomorrow.

[gja1000]

Yeah, you can freak yourself out reading the internet. But, if you are feeling pressure, then I'm really glad you have an appointment tomorrow! Let us know what you find out.

[Lindsey]

Scott thinks it looks a little worse today, but I think it looks the same. The dark redness hasn't moved to both eyes, it's staying in just one. It's not too painful to blink anymore, but the whole area around it is still tender and painful to touch (even washnig my face it's hard to wash on that side at all), and it hurts to try to squeeze the eyelids shut. I'm leaving work for my appointment in about an hour, so I'll let you know how it goes when I'm back!

[Lindsey]

My optometrist thinks I had a viral case of pink eye, not bacterial. That's why it has been lasting so long, and the eye drops really wouldn't have helped much. She said the redness I have now is just on the very outer layer of the eye so it doesn't look like it's a big issue. I have to go back in 2 weeks for a follow-up. My eyesight isn't as sharp as it was, so she thinks it might be just from the infection. If it gets worse I need to go back sooner. But now I'm stuck with wearing my glasses for at least another two weeks :( I think I look like a dork lol.

Here's to hoping it clears up!

[judy]

Poor Lindsey! It sounds painful and scary! It's good that the doctor diagnosed it as a form of pink eye. Did she give you anything for it, or will it just go away on it's own?

Do you think that wearing sun glasses might make you feel better? Less light, more soothing?

[Lindsey]

Lol I like the flamingo ones!

It's not nearly as painful today. She gave me just regular eye drops to use, and told me to keep them in the fridge to keep them cool. The redness seems to be going away a bit, but it's still pretty prominent. Even though I'm swamped at work I decided not to stay any more late nights this week, because staring at a computer screen constantly isn't so great for my eyes either.

My cousin told me this morning that he had something similar a year ago and it turned out to be a symptom of arthritis. It was an auto immune reaction. I had rheumatoid arthritis when I was 6 years old in my hip, and from some research today I saw that it can also affect your eyes in a flare up. BUT I don't think the juvenile arthritis would be coming back to affect me as an adult now. I'm just going to hope it clears up on its own!

[judy]

Did you tell the doctor about the arthritis? I"m so glad your eye is getting better Linds.

[Lindsey]

No, I didn't. I was always told that it would likely come back in my other hip, but it would happen before I was 18, and it never did. Juvenile arthritis and the arthritis adults get are different, so I think I'm past the stage of it coming back now. I am just related to so many hypochondriacs who think they and everyone around them have the worst thing imaginable :rolleyes: So I need to stop listening to them!

I have good news though! The spot is still there but it cleared up substantially overnight :) I can even squeeze my eye tight with no pain anymore, and it was still a bit painful just last night.

[judy]

Excellent! You just shot the arthritis theory out of the water:p:p:p

[paula1961]

I'm so glad your eye is getting better Lindsey! Hopefully you won't have any more problems with it.:)

[Shada]

How are you today Lindsey?
Hope it is better..

[Lindsey]

Much better now! The spot is almost gone completely :)

[amandag159]

i have RA in my hand and knee, and i get pink eye about twice a year, its a pain and embaressing,i used to think there was a carrier in the pre school iwork in, but not so, i know this dosent help much, but just wanted to let you know your not alone