Conjunctivitis is spreading rapidly, how should we deal with it?

The turn of summer and autumn is the peak season for acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis, commonly known as "pink eye" . As students return to school, the infectiousness and transmission of "pink eye" gradually become apparent, spreading rapidly within classes and families, posing a threat to everyone's eye health.

In fact, pink eye is not as contagious as people imagine. "You will get infected just by looking at it" is a completely unreliable legend. Common pink eye is mainly caused by enterovirus 70 (EV70) and coxsackievirus A group 24 variant (CA24v). It is an acute viral eye disease that is more common in summer and autumn and can be infected in all age groups. Therefore, it will appear in places where people gather, such as schools, and then spread to families.

1. What are the symptoms of conjunctivitis?

Pink eye develops rapidly and has obvious symptoms. Usually one eye is affected first. After the onset of the disease, there is a strong foreign body sensation and the characteristic subconjunctival hemorrhage symptoms appear, accompanied by discomfort such as stinging, photophobia, and tearing . Increased secretions are also an important manifestation of pink eye. The early secretions are watery, and in severe cases they are light red, and then become mucous. The incubation period of "pink eye" is short, generally 18-48 hours, and it is self-limited. The natural course is generally 7-10 days, and the prognosis is good, but neurological complications occasionally occur.

2. How is conjunctivitis spread?

Patients in the acute stage of the disease are the main source of infection. The following channels of contact may cause pink eye disease:

1. Direct contact with the patient's eyes or upper respiratory tract secretions;

2. Having close contact with the patient, such as shaking hands, hugging, whispering, etc.;

3. All kinds of supplies and utensils that come into contact with patients, such as towels, clothes, door handles, etc.;

4. Share eye drops, bathtubs, swimming pools, etc. with patients.

3. What are the ways to prevent conjunctivitis?

Since conjunctivitis is mainly transmitted through "contact", maintaining good hygiene habits is the only way to prevent conjunctivitis.

1. As an individual: washing hands frequently, not rubbing eyes, and not sharing towels, washbasins, cosmetics and other items are the basis for preventing the spread of conjunctivitis.

2. During the peak season for conjunctivitis, avoid going to crowded public places with frequent contact, reduce the frequency of going to public swimming pools and bathrooms, pay attention to hand hygiene when outside, and avoid cross contact with the eyes.

3. For institutions, they must do a good job of cleaning the environment, maintain good ventilation in public places, strengthen the cleaning and disinfection of public facilities, such as handles, handrails, tables and chairs, etc., strengthen environmental disinfection work, and reduce the probability of cross-infection among the crowd.

4. What should I do if I have conjunctivitis?

Whether you or your family members are suffering from pink eye, the first step is to prevent cross-group infection.

1. Once relevant symptoms occur, you should go to a regular hospital for medical treatment in time and receive relevant treatment according to the doctor's instructions. Do not take medicine blindly on your own to avoid delaying the condition ;

2. You should rest and treat at home as much as possible, improve indoor ventilation, reduce activities in public places, and avoid infecting others;

3. Items that have been touched by the patient should be disinfected with alcohol, boiling, etc., hands should be kept clean, and close contact and cross contamination should be avoided ;

In short, conjunctivitis is not terrible. As long as you correct your posture and respond positively, you will recover soon.