help, I think i either have pink eye or an eye infection. I woke up and one eye was red and puss-ish stuff comes out and I have to blink them a lot. Does this ever go away on its own? Is it really serious? I don't want to go blind, so I'm freaking out. I don't want to see a doctor unless i abs. have to- i have no insurance, so i'd have to pay out of pocket. Has anyone ever had pink eye before? I would go to a doctor if I needed to, but probably not til Tuesday. AHHH.
I've had pink eye three in the past five years. I usually go to the doctor because they give you prescription eye drops for it. Maybe you could try the kind detroit mentioned for a few days then if that doesn't work, go to the doctor. If it is pink eye, its very important not to touch your eye and wash your hands a lot. And change your sheets and don't wear contacts. They even tell you to change your make up brushes. Its very contagious. It could easily spread to the other eye. When I was in college, one of the girls I lived with got it from her boyfriend who's whole frat house had it. Then she gave it to all the girls in our house...
I had pink eye twice last semester! They said you can get it from stress, which is just lovely, because obviously if you're stressed out, pink eye is just what you need. I would go to the eye doctor, the eye drops take at least 3-4 days to work, and it will just get worse if you leave it alone (at least, it did for me). Just make sure they give you the right drops, b/c last time I went, the lovely college health center had written me a prescription for EAR drops and the CVS people caught it and had to wait two more days for the doctor to call back and write the correct prescription.
so do you think it will go away on its own? Or do I absolutely have to see a doctor for this? (not to relieve my symptoms, just so that nothing worse happens)
I've had pink eye like twice and ohmygod does it suck!!! I've always gone to the doctor to get the prescription stuff to make it go away. I have no idea if it goes away on it's own or what the deal is. But the way I look at it is...it's your eyes. You only really get two. So I'd much rather shell out the $$$ to see an eye doctor, make sure it is indeed pink eye, and get it treated.
That's just my two cents.
I'm sorry you have it, by the way. It's so gross and nasty and just...ugh! But like someone else said, keep your hands clean and away from your eyes!!! And if you wear contacts, don't wear them while you have pink eye.
I got pink eye last month, a side effect of strep throat and a viral infection.. i would definitely go to a doctor to get an Rx, etc- it's the easiest and best way to treat the problem
Also, don't wear eye makeup, contacts, etc while you have symptoms.. this was the hardest part for me!
Oh, and also, make sure it is pink eye. Bausch and Lomb just recalled the Renu Solution with Moisture Loc for causing infections (with, iirc, had similar symptoms to pink eye) that could lead to blindess, so if you use that by any chance, THROW IT OUT! immediately!
lynnie, how are you? has it gone away yet? anyway here's my story:
on saturday, my friend noticed that i was getting goop (we call them "eye boogers") in the inner corner of my left eye. and i thought i remembered hearing that that was a sign of pink eye so i was totally paranoid and convinced i'd wake up the next morning w/ my eye crusted shut or something. anyway, i took out my contacts and just hoped for the best.
sunday morning, i woke up to only a little bit of eye booger, kept my glasses on, changed all my sheets/pillowcases, washed my hands a bunch and tried not to touch either eye. my eye wasn't red but looked a little watery. i resolved to go to the eye doctor the next day (would've gone in that day but it was easter so the doctor's office was closed).
monday morning, my eyes both looked totally normal but i went to the doctor anyway. she said i was fine and that i probably wore my disposable contacts longer than i should've (guilty as charged, they're only supposed to be in for two weeks, i had mine in for like a month). she made me order new contacts, gave me a free trial pair and said that if my eye feels irritated again, to come back. oh and she also said that there is no mistaking pink eye and that your eye is super itchy and pink (coulda figured that part out myself ) and super contagious and you can keep giving it to yourself if you're not careful.
my eyes look almost normal at this point. I might have had the contact thing too. If i wake up tomorrow and its bad again, I already told work I was going to the doctor. thanks for checking!