[의학신문·일간보사=이승덕 기자]As summer begins in earnest, more and more people complain of various eye diseases due to the humid and hot weather and strong UV rays.
Typically, high temperature and humidity in summer is an environment suitable for the reproduction and activity of various microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses, and in particular, viral keratoconjunctivitis, etc.
Professor Choi Moon-jeong of the Department of Ophthalmology at National Health Insurance Ilsan Hospital will look into various eye diseases and disease signs that are easy to catch in summer, as well as symptoms, treatment, and prevention methods.
Viral conjunctivitis = During the summer vacation season, many people flock to swimming pools and water parks. In some cases, symptoms of keratoconjunctivitis such as stinging and foreign body sensation may occur due to disinfectants in the pool water. it can be this
Epidemic keratoconjunctivitis, commonly known as eye disease, is caused by an adenovirus and is highly contagious, so it can be transmitted through direct contact with a patient’s eye secretions or through swimming pool water. At first, symptoms usually appear as redness, mucus, eyelid edema, tearing, and foreign body sensation in one eye, and the same symptoms often occur in the other eye after a few days.
In severe cases, a pseudomembrane (pseudomembrane) may form on the conjunctiva, and severe pain may occur due to scarring on the cornea. Corneal opacity may also occur, and even after conjunctivitis has improved, vision loss or glare may occur due to corneal opacity. It takes about 2-3 weeks to pass, and it is contagious for about 2 weeks after symptoms appear. Care should be taken not to
Pharyngeal conjunctivitis is also a conjunctivitis caused by adenovirus, and in this case, sore throat, fever, and lymphadenitis may appear together with conjunctivitis. It has an infection route similar to that of epidemic keratoconjunctivitis, so caution is needed. At first, severe symptoms appear, but they gradually subside and last for about 2 weeks.
Another viral conjunctivitis is acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis, also called Apollo eye disease, which is caused by enterovirus or coxsackie virus. It is characterized by a short incubation period, rapid progression, and rapid remission, in most cases improving within 1-2 weeks.
In order to prevent such conjunctivitis, it is necessary to thoroughly manage personal hygiene in daily life. Wash your hands frequently, avoid touching your eyes as much as possible, and avoid wearing contact lenses while swimming because the risk of infection increases if you wear contact lenses.
Photokeratitis with burns of the eyes caused by ultraviolet light= As outdoor activities increase in summer, exposure to UV rays inevitably increases when exposed to strong sunlight for a long time.
If a lot of UV rays are reflected on a surface such as water or sand in the sea or swimming pool, which is a typical summer vacation, and if you are exposed to strong UV rays at once, your eyes can also be burned like the skin. This can happen.
Ultraviolet rays can reach not only the surface of the eyeball, but also the lens and retina, and when exposed to ultraviolet rays for a long time over several years, it can accelerate the aging of the eyes and cause various eye diseases.
Cataract is a disease in which the lens becomes cloudy and appears cloudy as if it is fogged.
Macular degeneration is a disease that causes degeneration, such as edema or bleeding, in the macula, which is located in the center of the retina inside the eye, and is responsible for central vision. There is a report that the risk of macular degeneration increases when the macula is continuously exposed to ultraviolet rays.
In addition, other degenerative eye diseases can also occur in the conjunctiva, and ultraviolet light is known as a major risk factor in the pterygium, where the fibrovascular tissue of the conjunctiva grows into the cornea, and the conjunctival degeneration appears as a yellowish-white nodule.
Therefore, it is necessary to use glasses, sunglasses, hat, parasol, etc. with UV protection function to minimize eye damage caused by UV rays. Sunglasses, regardless of color, should be checked to make sure that they block 99% or more of UV rays, and since the larger the lens size, the larger the area to be protected, so it is recommended to use glasses with large lenses or a wide-brimmed hat.
◆Dry eye syndrome worsened by air conditioner use= Dry eye syndrome is a disease in which tears are insufficient or the tear film is unstable and evaporates a lot, causing damage to the surface of the eye, causing various symptoms such as eye irritation, burning sensation, foreign body sensation, stinging pain, stiffness, and fatigue.
When reading, watching TV, working on a computer, or using a smartphone for a long time, the number of blinks decreases, which dries out the surface of the eyeball, exacerbating the discomfort caused by dryness. In summer, when the air conditioner is used a lot in hot weather, the humidity is lowered and the symptoms of dry eye syndrome are often exacerbated.
Therefore, it is helpful to ventilate the indoor air intermittently to control the humidity, and it is helpful not to directly apply the wind to a fan or air conditioner that evaporates tears while supplying sufficient moisture.
Also, when working on a computer for a long time or reading a book, it is good to intermittently close your eyes and rest. If you apply preservative-free artificial tears and are accompanied by eyelid inflammation that exacerbates dry eye syndrome, washing your eyelids after warm compresses can alleviate the symptoms of dry eyes.
In addition, there are various treatment methods for dry eye syndrome, but it is helpful to see an ophthalmologist for an accurate diagnosis and individual prescription.
