Pinkeye - question re saline solution treatment

[Alison's Mom]

I seem to have pinkeye. . . . goopy stuff in eye last Thursday, compounded with a sudden sore throat on Sat morning. The eye goop is usually only around when I first get up, with minimal to no symptoms during the day - no redness, etc. I have assumed it was viral and just left it alone, thinking it would be gone in a week. It's been a week and it's still here.

I don't have access to breastmilk and had read about the boric acid in saline solution. I read the ingredients on mine and it doesn't list boric acid. It's the Bausch and Lumb sensitive eyes saline plus and has sodium chloride, potassium chloride, edetate disodium and polaminopropl biguanide. I know it would be fine to put it in my eye, but would there be a benefit?

Would multipurpose contact lens cleaning solution do the same thing? No boric acid in that either, though. I would be OK putting this in my eye too, since I don't need to rinse it off my contacts before putting them in my eyes.

[amcal]

I don't know the answer to your question but, I'm one that uses contact lens solution on myself and my kids any time we get pink eye and it cures it within 24 hours.

I've always read that it's the boric acid that does it but, really, any soft contact lens saline solution that is designed to disinfect contacts should work - it's made to kill bacteria on your contact lens and should work to kill bacteria in the eye???

I'm guessing here but, I think I would try it. It can't hurt. If you don't see results in 24 hours, I'd go get one with boric acid. But in the meantime, try the other - if nothing else, it's so soothing to wash your eye out with the stuff anyway.

The multipurpose one - I'm really not sure on that - I've always read that it's soft contact lens saline solution that you want. I don't wear contacts so I don't know about the multipurpose one. Personally, I'd stick with saline solution.

[Alison's Mom]

Thanks! I tried the saline solution a couple times last night and once this morning so far. I was hoping I'd wake up with no goop, but no such luck. I'm a bridesmaid in my good friend's wedding tomorrow, and was hoping to not have to wear my glasses during the wedding! I'll keep at it today and hope for the best.

[JaneS]

Similisan Pink Eye Relief is the bomb, I've seen it at CVS and Whole Foods.

[Alison's Mom]

Oh man, should have checked the thread sooner. I was at Whole Foods on Fri night. I got some saline solution with boric acid, and it's still not doing the trick. However, I did manage to get through yesteday's wedding looking 'normal' for the photos!

[amcal]

Hmmm, could it be viral? Or allergeric pink eye? There are different kinds and the saline will only work on bacterial.

[Alison's Mom]

Yeah, it could very well be viral, and I used to get itchy and sore eyes from allergies, although I haven't been having other hayfever symptoms recently. I should probably go get a culture done if it doesn't go away in a couple more days. Thanks.