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ATLANTA
— Elizabeth Brockob’s eye was red and hurting, and so,
like a lot of us, she went to the Internet for a diagnosis.
Within
minutes the 13-year-old from Johns Creek, Ga., was convinced
she was going blind and that she could die.
"It
scared me," Brockob said.
Although
she had reason for concern, her diagnosis was dead wrong.
The teen
had bacterial conjunctivitis, or pinkeye, a common eye
disease, especially in children, that may affect one or both
eyes.
If
recent numbers are any indication, the nasty little infection
seems to be on the move, afflicting everyone from toddlers to
school-age children, like Brockob, to adults.
The
culprit? According to Dr. Glenda Brown, an optometrist with
Caris Eye Centers in Alpharetta, Ga., and incoming president
of the Georgia Optometric Association, it is a brutal cold and
flu season that is weakening immune systems.
"We’re
all exposed to viruses and bacteria, and if our immunity is
down, we can’t fight it off," she said.
Since
the flu season began, Brown said her practice has seen a 30
percent increase in pinkeye diagnoses — from 222 patients
last year to 289 so far this year.
"That’s
huge," she said.
Doctors
in the Tasman Eye Group in Kennesaw, Ga., have also seen a
spike in pinkeye cases this year, said Dr. Stuart Tasman.
"There
are many more cases of the flu this season, and that leads to
more cases (of pinkeye), since this type is spread by people
with upper respiratory tract infections," he said.
Although
Susan Brockob initially believed her daughter might have been
guilty of sleeping in her contact lenses again, she knew
something was wrong because "Elizabeth doesn’t complain
very often." Plus, the mother of four said, she has come
to expect pinkeye to pay the family a visit. Each of her
children has had it, and at least one of them more than once.
But be
careful about trying to self-diagnose, Brown said.
"There
are many other eye problems that mimic pinkeye, and so a lot
of eye conditions that patients will refer to as pinkeye are
in fact not conjunctivitis," she said. "We get twice
as many people who call thinking they have it, when they
actually have something else. But the only way to be sure is
to see an eye doctor who can evaluate you with a slit lamp
bio-microscope, make the proper diagnosis and prescribe a
course of treatment."
While
conjunctivitis is usually a minor eye infection, Brown said
that some forms can be highly contagious and develop into a
more serious problem, especially if misdiagnosed and treated
inappropriately.
Conjunctivitis
is the most common type and can be caused by viruses
associated with the common cold and flu.
Bacterial
conjunctivitis is an infection most often caused by
staphylococcal or streptococcal bacteria from your own skin or
respiratory system.
And
allergic conjunctivitis occurs more commonly among people who
already have seasonal allergies but can be caused by other
allergens.
"Many
people think it goes away on its own, and often parents don’t
understand the damage it can do," said Brown. "For
instance, an eye infection caused by the same virus that
causes cold sores, if not treated properly, can cause
scarring, greatly reduced vision, and even in some cases
necessitate corneal transplant surgery." For all —
including Kathleen Moosa of Alpharetta, who will stay out of
her contacts and wear glasses for a while — the dreaded
pinkeye is an inconvenience.
But for
some people, the condition is far worse.
"One
of my patients recently diagnosed with EKC, epidemic
keratoconjunctivitis, was home in bed for a whole week,"
Brown said.
EKC is a
highly contagious form of conjunctivitis often found in
emergency rooms, nursing homes, schools, camps and child-care
centers.
Brown
said Georgia’s optometrists are working to educate consumers
about the many types of conjunctivitis.
"We
really want parents to learn there are important steps they
should take if their child has pinkeye so together we can
protect that child’s vision and help them live a healthy
life," she said.
Practicing
good hygiene is the best way to control the spread of
conjunctivitis. Once an infection has been diagnosed, follow
these steps:
—Don’t
touch your eyes with your hands.
—Wash
your hands thoroughly and frequently.
—Change
your towel and washcloth daily, and don’t share them with
others.
—Discard
eye cosmetics, particularly mascara.
—Don’t
use anyone else’s eye cosmetics or personal eye-care items.
—Follow
your eye doctor’s instructions on proper contact lens care.
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