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Public warned of extreme case of sore eyes
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Posted on May 10 2005
Marianas Eye Institute director David Khorram, M.D., is cautioning the public about the potential outbreak of pink eye, an eye infection that is said to be worse than the typical sore eyes.
Also known as conjunctivitis, pink eye, according to Khorram, is an infection of the outermost layer of the eye.
He said the usual eye infection that people on island contracts are the ones that infect the cornea of the eyes.
Khorram said pink eye is a more severe case of sore eyes, which could leave a scar on the cornea. The three most common types of conjunctivitis are: viral, allergic, and bacterial.
Fortunately, Khorram said, he has only treated less than a dozen patients that showed symptoms of pink eye infection.
Department of Public Health medical director Richard Brostrom said he has not seen any case of pink eye at the Commonwealth Health Center yet.
Khorram advised the public to take extra precaution so as not to contract the disease. He said symptoms of the infection are redness of the eyes, extreme irritation, swelling of the eyes, photosensitivity, and presence of tears.
He said regular conjunctivitis last only up to two weeks but pink eye could last for at least three weeks.
Khorram said adults are the ones mostly infected with pink eye. He said the virus is not airborne, so one would not be infected by just looking at the eyes of an infected person; possible transmission of the virus is through contact with tears.
He said untreated pink eye could lead to loss of normal vision because the infection could leave a scar on the cornea tissue.
Khorram is advising the public to minimize contact with infected individuals and avoid touching their eyes.
Brostrom agreed with Khorram and said the best prevention is still through hand washing. He, however, said it is more difficult for children to wash their hands because they are still dependent on their parents.
Medication is also advised when already infected, said Khorram, to help reduce the risk of scarring the cornea. Anti-inflammatory eye drops could be a good cure against scarring.
Khorram said his advice also goes to individuals who are diabetics. He said diabetics should take extra care to avoid contracting the eye disease.
