Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum.  ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
Eye Care Archive  (Expert Forum)
 | 
Conjunctivitis lingering
Our Ask A Doctor Ophthalmology Forum is where you can post your question and receive a personal answer from physicians affiliated with the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Conjunctivitis lingering

by mattverde, May 15, 2006 12:00AM
I contracted Conjunctivitis a week ago at work.  I have now been on medication (drops) for a week, but still have some slight discharge (yellow-green), mostly at night.

I returned to work yesterday.  I work in the theatre and get lots of makeup in my eyes.  Last night I feel I took a step backwards as there was more discharge than the past few days.

My question:  Am I hampering my healing by working and getting makeup in my eyes?  Is it likely that I am still contagious?  Thank you.

by Forum-OD-MP, May 15, 2006 12:00AM
this is so hard to answer.

if you are NOT a contact lens wearer...and if you were diagnosed with BACTERIAL conjunctivitis and were rx'd antibacterial eyedrops, and if you have been following the regimen your doctor suggested, then bacterial conjunctivitis should NOT be "lingering" a week later.  it should be gone.  so its either:

a) not bacterial (ie its viral, inflammatory, etc)
b) resistant to the antibiotics you're using

if you are a contact lens wearer this is a bigger deal.

it is unlikely that getting makeup in your eye would have much effect on bacterial conjunctivitis.  i'm just not sure you're bacterial.  you probably need a second opinion.  the person wh rx'd your "drops"...were they a GP or an eye doctor?  if you havent been to an optometrist or ophthalmologist yet, you might need to go.
Member Comments (1)

by mattverde, May 15, 2006 12:00AM
I got the drops (Polymyxin B sulfate and Trimethoprin Opthalmic solution) from an eye doctor.  They did not do a culture to determine what form it was.
The lingering effects are not severe--merely traces at night and when I wake up in the corners of the eye.
Continue discussion
RSS Expert Activity
What You Don't Know About Breathing...
Nov 24 by Steven Y Park, MD
Thanksgiving
Nov 23 by Thomas Dock, Vet. Technician
Snoring As Your Internal Smoke Alar...
Nov 22 by Steven Y Park, MD