An ophthalmologist at the UGM Academic Hospital, Tri Winarti MD, gave tips to help protect ourselves from the pink eye or conjunctivitis.
Winarti said the color of pink or red in the eye accompanied by abnormal discharge are symptoms of conjunctivitis due to inflammation or infection of the outer membrane of the eyeball and the inner eyelid.
“Conjunctivitis is most often caused by viral infections whose transmission tends to be fast, especially those caused by adenovirus,” she explained on Thursday (8/6).
Besides viral infections, conjunctivitis is also caused by bacterial infections such as gonorrhea or chlamydia or allergic reactions with various triggers ranging from dirt, dust, animal hair, or mites.
Winarti said conjunctivitis caused by viruses usually drives complaints and causes symptoms such as redness, itching, and tearing. However, this disease does not cause a sharp decrease in vision.
“The symptoms are almost the same as keratitis, inflammation of the eye cornea in the form of red and watery eyes. However, keratitis can cause a sharp decrease in vision, while conjunctivitis does not,” she explained.
Conjunctivitis caused by viruses is contagious and needs immediate treatment to prevent transmission. Several ways to avoid the spread include maintaining cleanliness by regularly washing hands and not touching the eyes directly, especially after contact with people with conjunctivitis. It is also important to avoid sharing personal items such as towels with others.
“If your eye discharge is abnormal, you should not go to work to inhibit transmission, and when at home, please do quarantine,” she said.
The ophthalmologist urged the public not to self-diagnose when having pink eyes because improper treatment can aggravate the infection and even damage the cornea.
“Don’t buy drops carelessly because some contain a mixture of steroids that can damage the eye’s cornea if an injury occurs. It is better to visit the nearest doctor or health service to get the right treatment,” he said.
Author: Ika
Photo: Freepik