Let's see ... you're asking about the left eye? (the one on the right in the pic).

If so, there's not really enough detail (too dark) to differentiate between normal and "pink". It does look a little more swollen and puffy (like pink eye does) than the other eye.

Wouldn't hurt to get him checked out. How hard is it to get a pediatric appointment there at the clinic on Schofield?

Chaos Manager:

Let's see ... you're asking about the left eye? (the one on the right in the pic)

Yes.

If so, there's not really enough detail (too dark) to differentiate between normal and "pink"

Sadly, that's best I could get with him wiggling and being silly.

It does look a little more swollen and puffy (like pink eye does) than the other eye.

I'm thinking it does, but I don't have a whole lot of experience with pink eye.

Wouldn't hurt to get him checked out. How hard is it to get a pediatric appointment there at the clinic on Schofield?

I might be able to get him in tomorrow if I call early enough...haha...I guess how fast we could get in depends a lot on how urgent an issue the receptionist sees pink eye as.

Thanks for your help.

First, I am not a doctor, so my opinion here is worth exactly what you paid for it. That said, I would never send a child to school if I suspected in the least that they have pink eye. I see no reason why a knowlegeable adult should not go to work with it though. The difference being that pink eye is very contagious in children due to the way that they will rub there eyes and then interact with other children. An adult who is conscientious will avoid rubbing their eyes, but will thoroughly wash their hands immediately if they do rub them. This is too much to ask of children.

When I had pink eye (twice) it was obvious in both eyes Anti-biotic eye drops were prescribed in both cases, and visible signs began to disappear with 24 hours. Always finish the course with any prescribed anti-biotics. Stopping when the symptoms disappear can lead to disaster. Hope this helps.

That sounds best. In kids, Pink Eye is not something to play around with. And the school is likely to start hollering if he even walks in the door with something that LOOKS like pink eye.

Funny story. When my oldest was in 1st grade (2nd of 2 years that he attended public school), he had a sty in his eye. Just a clogged tear duct that was being cared for with saline drops. He'd even been seen by the doctor and pronounced good to go for school. No dice. I got a call at the office from the school nurse saying that I should get up there and pick him up. When I got there, I got reamed by the Asst. Principal and the nurse for daring to let my son come to school like that. They didn't even blink when I presented them with the note from the doctor that stated it wasn't Pink Eye and that he could go to school. They all but picked us up and tossed us in the street.

Gah!!

This is one of those things where it's better to be safe, than sorry.

Hope the little guy feels better.

I tried to get a better picture and came up with this:



Of course, both eyes look pretty much the same in this photo. Looking at him closely though, I still see what looks like a smudge of pink under his eye and from to corner out to almost the middle of his eyelid. I have to admit, it doesn't look anywhere near as pink and puffy now as it did earlier.

And the other pic I got...



Apparently I took it before he was ready, hehe.

Bunnahabhain:

That said, I would never send a child to school if I suspected in the least that they have pink eye.

I definitely wouldn't send him to school with pink eye, but I also don't want him to miss a day of instruction simply because I overreacted and assumed he had it when he didn't.

Better safe than sorry, though, I suppose.

An adult who is conscientious will avoid rubbing their eyes, but will thoroughly wash their hands immediately if they do rub them. This is too much to ask of children.

I agree.

When I had pink eye (twice) it was obvious in both eyes Anti-biotic eye drops were prescribed in both cases, and visible signs began to disappear with 24 hours.

I wonder if it's significant that he only has one pink and puffy eye? If he does have it, he's gonna HATE eye drops. And his daddy's gone, so I'll have to be the one to administer them. Ugh.

Hope this helps.

Yes, thank you.

I'm thinking maybe I should check again and see how his eye looks in the morning before deciding either way.

CM:

That sounds best. In kids, Pink Eye is not something to play around with. And the school is likely to start hollering if he even walks in the door with something that LOOKS like pink eye.

I can imagine. It's my understanding that it's insanely contagious.

I got reamed by the Asst. Principal and the nurse for daring to let my son come to school like that. They didn't even blink when I presented them with the note from the doctor that stated it wasn't Pink Eye and that he could go to school. They all but picked us up and tossed us in the street.

Wow. It's a fine line to walk. The schools REALLY don't want sick kids in class...but they also REALLY don't want a kid to miss a day of instruction for no good reason.

Sorry to hear you had such a bad experience. I have to say, though, no sty I've ever seen has looked anything like any pink eye I've ever seen (which is admittedly not a whole lot of either, but still...they look quite different).

This is one of those things where it's better to be safe, than sorry.

I suppose that's right.

Hope the little guy feels better.

Haha, it's not bothering him one bit. And he's enjoying having his photo taken. Hehe.

Is it pus-y?

history:

Is it pus-y?

No, he's a little boy.

Sorry, sorry, sorry. My apologies.

Hehe.

No, it doesn't have any pus or signs of infection. Just a little puffy and pink.

His eye does look a bit irritated, but it doesn't look like pink eye (of course, you might want to take him to the doc or have the nurse check it out just in case). From what I know of pink eye, his eye would have that icky, crusty stuff on it, and there would be some discharge.

He has killer eyelashes, btw...he probably won't like them described as "pretty", but they are. lol

InBloom:

His eye does look a bit irritated, but it doesn't look like pink eye (of course, you might want to take him to the doc or have the nurse check it out just in case).

Thank you. As a classroom teacher, I'm sure you've seen your fair share of pink eye, so I find your comments particularly helpful.

From what I know of pink eye, his eye would have that icky, crusty stuff on it, and there would be some discharge.

Good. He doesn't have any of that (yet, anyways). I'm going to watch it closely and see about getting an appt. just in case.

He has killer eyelashes, btw...he probably won't like them described as "pretty", but they are. lol

Thank you. He gets 'em from his daddy, unfortunately. Hehe. I'm dying to have a daughter with eyelashes like that.

(Believe it or not, he gets comments on them everywhere we go!)

Pus-y... a word you can say with a straight face, but when you type it, you get in all kinds of trouble.

He gets 'em from his daddy, unfortunately. Hehe. I'm dying to have a daughter with eyelashes like that.

Why is it guys always have the lashes that the ladies would kill for? And why is it the ladies are constantly trying to add curl to their hair and I'm trying to get rid of them? (My hair is just a bit past my shoulders when blown dry, just below my ears when air dryed - all the curls, and between my shoulder blades when wet).

I said the same thing, Brandie, when my three boys all turned out to have the same lashes (they got it from me, or so I'm told). Then, my little girl has got some of the prettiest lashes (and darling blue eyes), that I've ever seen. I know she got those from her mom, though. Mine are hazel.

Hope the little guy is doing okay this morning.

Pink eye (aka conjunctivitis) is characterised by the inner membrane of the eye being very red (dark pink) and oozing prolific amounts of what looks like green/yellow eye boogers. My kids all had it...they woke up with their eyes crusted shut some mornings. The outside of their eyes looked fine, it was the inside that was messed up. They had to get antibiotic drops and we had to be incredibly fastitious about infection control.

If his eyes aren't oozing or crusty I don't think you have anything to worry about.

Is it pus-y? No, he's a little boy. Sorry, sorry, sorry. My apologies. Hehe.

*Groan* - Bad Pun!

When in doubt, have a doctor check it out.  The pictures are hard to determine as Chaos said.  So a Doctor Visit is usually quick and pretty accurate, and it will start the treatment sooner if it is Pink Eye.

I agree with the crusty oozing part, if his eyes aren't like that or doesn't even burn in any way, then he's probably just having regular allergies. The weather is changing in most places now so it's probably that. But if you're still worried, get him checked out by his peds.

And he does have killer eyelashes!