swollen red eye, some itchiness.

[gabby0327]

so, yesterday i noticed a red line going across the white part in my right eye. this morning when i woke up, the entire white part of my eye was a pinkish/redish color. this has never happened to me before and i don't know what to do. i can't afford to go to the doctor. it itches a lot.. it feels like my eyelids are sticking to my eye. it hurts to touch the eyelid. it feels like i have a piece of dirt under my contact, but i took it out, cleaned it, and put it back in and it still feels the same. it feels like i have some sort of gunk on the bottom eyelid but nothing is there. i don't know what it is or what to do please help!!!

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi
Welcome to the MedHelp forum!
Please consult an eye specialist or your doctor immediately. You could be having conjunctivitis and can spread this to others. Clean the eyes with cotton swabs dipped in water and throwing the swabs in a closed dustbin. Use one swab for each eye. Wash hands well after each eye wash. Wash your clothes, bed linen, towel etc daily separately from others. You will need to put anti bacterial and anti-allergic eye drops. Also cold compress helps relieve inflammation to some extent. Take care!

[Weffette]

Hi Gabby,
Katie is right about the contacts.  Keep them OUT! best to throw that pair out.
Warm compresses help ALOT. There really isn't any "magic" drops or antibiotics for conjunctivitis...its a virus and its contagious. Wash ALL the door knobs, faucet handles and other objects that others touch frequently.  Using rewetting or artifical tear drops from the drug store should be okay...if your eyes begin to hurt and the gunk is turning green...you need to see a doctor. Perhaps there is a low cost clinic you could go to. Urgent cares and clinics can handle conjunctivitis easily.
PLEASE throw out the contacts and, once your eyes are better, use a new set. Also, try to get a new C.L. case. Check the expiration date on the solution too!
Good luck and I hope your eyes are clear again...soon!

[OriginalKatie]

Sounds like you have the classic conjunctivitis which is an infection of the outer parts of your eye. Wearing contacts puts you at an increased risk of getting it unfortunately.
First of all, I'd recommend not wearing your contacts (if you can get away with it) until its resolved. Second of all, the best treatment is to get some antibiotic eye drops or gels, but if you can't go to the doctor, at least you could go to a pharmacist and see if you can get something over the counter to wash your eyes out with and keep your eyes lubricated. Sometimes the conjunctivitis will just resolve on its own, but if its not getting better, you'll have to see a doctor.
Try not to rub or itch or touch your eyes, ok! And never touch your contact lenses or eyes without first washing your hands with soap and water.
I hope this advice helps, all the best!