Ophthalmologist Op. Dr. Tuncer Güney made important warnings about conjunctivitis, also known as red eye disease or eye inflammation. Kiss. Dr. Güney said, “Conjunctivitis is an inflammatory infection of the membrane layer called conjunctiva that covers the inner surface of the eyeball and eyelids. Conjunctivitis, the most common cause of red eyes, has multiple causes. “These causes may include viral, bacterial, fungal or parasites, which we call infectious, dry eyes, foreign objects in the eye, chemical injuries and traumas, or allergic causes (pollen, dust, pet dander, etc.),” he said.
“REDNESS, GRINDING, PAIN AND SWELLING MAY BE OBSERVED IN THE EYELIDS”
Stating that adenoviral conjunctivitis can cause an epidemic among red eye diseases that develop due to infection, Op. Dr. Güney continued as follows:
“Adenoviral conjunctivitis is the most contagious, longest-lasting and severe type. As the weather gets colder and the time spent in closed spaces increases, we see an increase in viral respiratory diseases and conjunctivitis, either together or separately. Viral conjunctivitis; public transportation, school-nursery, hospital, It is an important public health problem that can spread rapidly in places such as dormitories.
Generally, symptoms begin suddenly and are associated with upper respiratory tract diseases such as flu/cold. There are often people with similar complaints in the family, close circle, workplace or school. “Redness in the eyes, bloodshot eyes, swelling/edema in the eyelids, watering, burrs, burning, stinging, pain, inflammation adhering to the eyelashes, white membrane formation, sensitivity to light, discharge from the eye during the night or, rarely, bleeding from the eye may be observed.”
“IT MAY LEAD TO SIGHT LOSS”
Kiss. Dr. Tuncer Güney pointed out that adenoviral conjunctivitis progresses differently from person to person and gave the following information:
“The reason for the rapid spread of the disease is that the probability of transmission is high because the virus can remain on contaminated surfaces for weeks, it can be transmitted through the air through droplets, and the person infected with the virus begins to spread the virus before showing symptoms. Like every disease, adenoviral conjunctivitis has different severities and durations from person to person. Mostly 1 to 2 cases occur.” The symptoms of the disease improve without any problems within a week, but in a group of patients, the condition worsens with corneal involvement and may last for 1 to 3 months and cause vision loss.Other viral conjunctivitis may have a milder and shorter course.
During these periods, we observe an explosion in hospital admissions with complaints of viral conjunctivitis. When eye redness occurs, it is essential to diagnose the disease without taking it lightly, treat it, manage it in a mild and controlled manner, and follow the ophthalmologist’s examination and recommendations to prevent infections. “As with all infectious diseases, the use of masks, hand washing, distance control and isolation when necessary are among the most important measures to prevent the spread of the disease.”
(UAV)