My sore eye!!

I've bought chloramphenicol over the counter here in Dorset.
One or two questions but no problem.

Needs no examination here in east Anglia katiecrunch I can go into any pharmacy and ask for chloramphenicol drops although Boots do ask you the usual questions if you ve used them before etc etc but the other pharmacies just sell you them I went through a period of eye infections last year and bought them a few times in various shops so unless it's changed in the last few months we can definitely get them over the counter here

Only just seen this but l had similar a few weeks ago. Optrex sore eye drops actually made it worse. Finally saw practice nurse who gave me Chloramphenicol (antibiotic) eye ointment. Still no improvement so went to see optician at Specsavers. Lovely lady gave my eyes a thorough examination, couldn't see any infection but said l had very dry eyes and recommend Hycosan Extra eye drops, not cheap at £10.99 but amazing result. I'm not saying you have the same but l would say go to sn optician rather than a gp as they have the tools to give your eyes a proper examination. Hope by now you have it sorted x

Not sure I've heard of it up here, Katey - I'll have a look into it. I had thought that Boots sold antibacterial eye drops without a prescription, but when I rang them up they said no. I suppose we are lucky to have a walk in eye clinic which I didn't even know existed until DH had this last bout of inflammation.

Greyduster, you can get Chloramphenical eye drops on the Pharmacy First Scheme in our area. (The pharmacist has to examine and question you and will give it over the counter for conjunctivitis and free if you do not pay prescription charges, ie. over 60). I am not sure the Pharmacy First scheme is Countrywide though.

I thought you could only get chloramphenicol drops on prescription?

I purchased Gold Eye Ointment over the counter about 3 weeks ago.

Sorry if I m wrong rosesarered but I was told by a pharmacist that you can't get golden eye over the counter any more and anyway that was for styes to rub on the edge but not to put in the eye
chloramphenicol drops but if that doesn't work after a couple of days optician or doctor

Thanks everyone. I've only just seen this. The Optrex has helped but I have frightened myself silly by going on NHSChoices. I'll go to the GP if it's still sore tomorrow.

At least it's the opposite end of me from my continual UTIs. Wonder if they are connected?

I think the consensus [sp] is see a doctor. You've been told. Get thee to one asap....

See the doc maybe? - eyes are very precious.

DH had a very red sore eye recently with no stickiness and the doctor sent him to the eye clinic at our local hospital as she wasn't sure what it was. They said it was blepharitis and prescribed an antibacterial eye drop called Predsol, which was very effective. The pharmacy had had a look at it prior to this and had give him Optrex Sore Eye Drops which were useless. Best get the doc to have a look at it, Kitty.

kitty I have the same problem and use Goldeneye ( over the counter product) it clears it up for me.

I would see an optician. They generally know more about eyes than doctors do. Some of them have a sign that says NHS red spot. The NHS are trying to reduce the use of antibiotics for eyes, and doctors usually just give antibiotics, whereas an optician may know of another treatment.
When I had a very sore eye, also felt as if there was something in just one spot, the optician looked inside my eyelid and found a small pimple. he recommended Optrex (what he called 'artificial tears') and told me to gently rub my eyelid at the sore spot to help the pimple to disperse. And it worked!

kitty I recently had conjunctivitis which started like this. I had drops from the pharmacist which did no good whatsoever, went back and he diagnosed bacterial conjunctivitis. Off to the GP, two lots of ab drops and it has finally cleared up.
I didn't realise there are two types of conjunctivitis, viral and bacterial.
Hopefully yours is the viral kind and the drops you can buy over the counter will work. Just be aware, am reluctant to say keep an eye on it?

Eyes should really be seen by a doctor kitty

Could you have accidently scratched the surface, perhaps with the end of the dropper ?

Sorry, should have said, there is no 'nasty' discharge just lots of 'water'.