How to avoid Sore Eyes – DOH

Following a recent outbreak in a school in Guinobatan, Albay, the Department of Health issued reminders to the public on how to avoid sore eyes, a report on GMA’s “24 Oras” said Tuesday.

Sore eyes—more accurately, conjunctivitis or pinkeye—is described by the DOH as a redness and inflammation of the membranes (conjunctiva) covering the whites of the eyes and the inner parts of the eyelids. it is usually caused by an adenovirus and is highly contagious.

Symptoms include eye redness and itching; a watery pus or discharge from the eyes; and eyelids that are stuck together when waking up. Severe cases may involve pain of the eyes when exposed to sunlight and foreign-body solutions, the department said in a previous advisory.

Infection usually lasts from 5 to 12 days.

Here are tips to remember to avoid sore eyes:

• Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and water.
• Avoid direct contact with people with sore eyes.
• Do not borrow another person’s eyewear, makeup, handkerchief or towel.
• Do not repeatedly use the same handkerchief.
• Minimize hand-to-eye contact.
• On windy days, wear eyeglasses or sunglasses to protect your eyes from foreign particles
• Disinfect surfaces such as doorknobs, computer keyboards, counters and handrails with a diluted bleach solution.
• Wash clothes, towels, pillow cases, and other items that may have been handled by an infected person.

In a report on Unang Hirit on Tuesday, opthalmologist Dr. Minguita Padilla also recommended putting something cold against your eyelids—such as an ice pack, or ice wrapped in cloth, or chilled cucumber, or even a the back of a chilled spoon—to soothe your eyes.

In Guinobatan, both teachers and students were infected. One of the teachers who went to the school clinic had to go home early to avoid further transmission to others.

Source: Andrei Medina/BM, GMA News