These days, when the full-fledged early summer weather has begun, you need to take care of your eye health. This is because the hot and humid summer weather favors the proliferation of viruses that cause eye diseases.
In addition, the epidemic of virus infection can expand in resort areas where many people gather. In addition, the risk of exposure to ultraviolet rays increases in summer, which can cause various eye diseases such as pterygium, cataract, macular degeneration, and keratitis.
The eye is a body organ that is exposed to the outside, making it vulnerable to external substances such as wind, dust, germs, and viruses. In fact, many people suffer from epidemic viral keratoconjunctivitis at this time. Eye congestion is common as an early symptom of epidemic viral keratoconjunctivitis, but when the disease worsens, various symptoms such as eye mucus, foreign body sensation, glare, and eyelid edema may appear. If the disease is not treated in time and left untreated, it can lead to corneal opacity and even deterioration of vision.
Viral keratoconjunctivitis has an incubation period, and there are cases in which there are no symptoms for an average of one week before the disease worsens. Because of this, patients can inadvertently spread the virus widely without knowing that they have an eye disease. As a result, people around you may be exposed to latent infections without even realizing it.
It takes about 2 to 3 weeks for viral keratoconjunctivitis to completely get better, so prevention is the most important. To prevent viral keratoconjunctivitis, wash your hands often after going out or at home. Virus transmission and infection are mostly done through the hands, so even if you wash your hands well, you can greatly reduce the possibility of eye disease.
It is desirable to use a separate towel when there is a suspected eye disease patient among family members. If your eyes are congested or you feel a foreign body sensation, it is essential for initial prevention to find a hospital for diagnosis and treatment without rubbing your eyes.
In summer, you should also be vigilant against UV rays. Prolonged exposure to strong UV rays increases the risk of developing age-related eye diseases such as cataracts, pterygium, cataracts, and macular degeneration.
Photokeratitis can also occur if you are exposed to strong ultraviolet rays at an outdoor swimming pool or beach. Pterygium can be defined as a callus that develops on the conjunctiva, that is, on the white side of the eye. It grows bigger due to ultraviolet rays, stimulation, aging, etc., and if left untreated for a long time, eyesight may deteriorate. Therefore, it is important to minimize UV exposure by wearing sunglasses or a hat to prevent and alleviate symptoms.
In addition, long-term exposure to ultraviolet rays can cause cataracts even at a young age, so be careful. In particular, it is known that long-term exposure to ultraviolet rays through outdoor activities and work in summer increases the risk of developing cataracts.
Photokeratitis refers to an abnormal condition in which the cornea, the top surface of the eye, is damaged by exposure to strong light such as ultraviolet rays or welding. If you feel severe pain after the onset, you must visit a hospital because keratitis can last for a long time and cause vision loss.
Seo Jang-won, director of Grand Urian Clinic in Chuncheon, said, “It is advantageous to avoid outdoor activities for a long time and reduce the time exposed to sunlight to protect the eyes from ultraviolet rays. “Virus keratoconjunctivitis caused by viral proliferation can be sufficiently prevented by taking good care of basic health care, such as washing your hands frequently and not rubbing your eyes,” he advised.
Reporter Jeong Hee-won happy1@segye.com
2023-06-09 12:26:40
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