2023-07-18 08:08:57
Risk of permanent complications such as corneal opacity if symptoms persist for a long time
Children may have cold symptoms along with eye symptoms.
▲ Professor Ki-Woong Bae treats a patient with conjunctivitis. (Photo = Courtesy of Nowon Eulji University Hospital)
[메디컬투데이=이한희 기자] After going to a water park in the summer, there are cases in which the eyes are bloodshot, mucus is present, and pain is felt. This eye discomfort is likely a sign of infective conjunctivitis.
Infectious conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the conjunctiva caused by various microorganisms that cause infection. Depending on the cause of infection, it can be divided into ▲viral conjunctivitis ▲bacterial conjunctivitis ▲fungal conjunctivitis.
Infectious conjunctivitis is literally caused by infection, so it is caused by transmission from another person. During the summer, people tend to catch it easily when they come into contact with someone who has pre-existing conjunctivitis when they go to a crowded swimming pool or water park.
Infectious conjunctivitis, which is generally susceptible to infection in swimming pools, is mostly a viral disease. Among them, infection by adenovirus may only show symptoms in the eyes in adults, but children may show systemic symptoms such as high fever, sore throat, and diarrhea.
Professor Bae Ki-woong of the Department of Ophthalmology at Nowon Eulji University Hospital said, “Most of the conjunctivitis we encounter in everyday life is viral conjunctivitis, and it may improve naturally without any treatment within 1-2 weeks, but conjunctivitis caused by adenovirus is characterized by severe and long-lasting symptoms There is,” he explained.
Professor Bae continued, “Even if it is normal conjunctivitis, if left untreated for a long period of time, there is a risk of permanent sequelae such as keratitis or corneal opacity or complications such as visual impairment, so special attention is needed.”
Typical symptoms of infective conjunctivitis include redness, pain, discomfort, and eye mucus. First of all, congestion is one of the most common symptoms of ophthalmologist visits. However, if vision loss is accompanied by pain and discomfort as well as hyperemia, the possibility of more serious eye diseases such as keratitis and intraocular inflammation such as uveitis should be suspected, not simple conjunctivitis.
And that’s not all. It might also be an emergency related to an acute glaucoma attack. Acute glaucoma literally causes an acute rise in intraocular pressure, causing blurred vision, congestion, and eye pain.
In some cases, it is accompanied by headache, nausea, vomiting, etc. If intraocular pressure rises rapidly and persists, it can damage the optic nerve and cause permanent visual impairment.
As such, it is difficult to diagnose the eye disease that caused it simply by symptoms, and treatment varies widely depending on the cause.
Professor Ki-Woong Bae said, “Viral conjunctivitis usually has a good course, but severe conjunctivitis is occasionally found, and if conjunctivitis is prolonged, there is a risk of permanent complications that can cause vision loss, such as corneal opacity.” If conjunctivitis is suspected, it is important to receive treatment from an ophthalmologist and properly manage it.”
Conjunctivitis is treated with antibiotics and steroid eye drops to prevent secondary bacterial infections and complications. Also, if there is a false film or film, it should be removed with a cotton swab. Avoid touching your eyes if possible, and ice packs can help relieve symptoms.
When adding two or more types of eye drops, be sure to instill them at intervals of at least 5 minutes, and it is important that the tip of the eye drop bottle does not touch the eye. In most cases, acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis is cured spontaneously without special complications following 7 days and 3 to 4 weeks for epidemic keratoconjunctivitis.
Professor Bae Ki-woong said, “Since conjunctivitis is common among family members, it is recommended to wash your hands thoroughly and always use towels or pillows separately for each member if an eye disease occurs among members.” It is good to limit contact,” he said.
Medical Today Reporter Lee Han-hee ([email protected])
[저작권자ⓒ 메디컬투데이. 무단전재-재배포 금지]
1689692286
#eyes #bloodshot #feel #pain #playing #water.. #Infectious #conjunctivitis #suspected
