WHAT IS EYE CONJUNCTIVITIS?

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WHAT IS ADENOVIRUS (CONJUNCTIVITIS)? WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF ADENOVIRUS, WHAT IS ITS TREATMENT?

Recently, there has been an epidemic of adenovirus in the eyes. Due to this disease, which causes severe infection in the eyes, Turkish expert eye Doctors are also trying to find out about it. I often ask, “What is adenovirus (conjunctivitis)? What are the symptoms of adenovirus, what is its treatment?” the question is coming up.

Cases of adenovirus are spreading rapidly. Citizens also want to get information about this virus that hits the eyes. Research for conjunctivitis, also known as red eye disease, has accelerated. Here is the question “What is adenovirus (conjunctivitis)? What are the symptoms of adenovirus, what is its treatment?” the answer to your questions…

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WHAT IS ADENOVIRUS, WHAT ARE ITS SYMPTOMS?

Chairman of the Ocular Infection Unit of the Turkish Ophthalmological Association Prof. Dr. said that with the loosening of pandemic measures, virus infections that have become epidemics again have also hit the eyes. Prof. Pointing out that adenoviruses, which are quite on the agenda in recent days because they cause respiratory tract infections, are also the types that cause conjunctivitis in the eye. Dr. Bold, said it was too high of a risk, and in particular close contact, eye contact and hand hygiene among family members not to pay attention to a disease that can spread rapidly, but most of the kindergarten in the younger age groups, such as the risk is higher because it is more difficult to prevent contact, he said.

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COVID MEASURES ALSO PROTECTED THE EYES

He said that last year there were quite a few cases of conjunctivitis, because people really pay close attention to the rules of masks, distances and hand hygiene due to covid, but with the relaxation of measures, there has been a significant increase in the number of cases in the last few weeks. Dr. “Adenoviral conjunctivitis that has come to our clinics has started to increase. There are several types of adenovirus. In the form of what we call ‘pharyngoconjunctival fever’, it is accompanied by an upper respiratory tract infection. That is, pharyngitis, fever, upper respiratory tract infection; it all goes. A single virus can affect both the otolaryngological system and the upper respiratory tract, as well as infect the conjunctiva. But the involvement is different in ‘adenoviral conjunctivitis’, which is alone. At the moment, we are also seeing an increase in the number of adenoviral conjunctivitis, which is more often alone. We think that this is also a precursor to an epidemic,”he said.

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ITS SPREAD IS VERY FAST, IT CAN EVEN LEAD TO VISION LOSS

Emphasizing that the contagiousness of the disease is extremely high, especially among people who are in the family or have very close contacts, its spread is very rapid, Prof. Dr. said, “We only see the conjunctivitis table more often. Along with conjunctivitis, it is also accompanied by adenopathy in front of the ear, that is, an enlargement of the lymph nodes. We are starting the treatment of these patients immediately and we need to follow it very closely. Because if opacities (turbidity) form under the transparent layer of the eye, which we call the cornea, their treatment is of very special importance. It can even lead to vision loss. Symptoms of adenoviral conjunctivitis usually begin a few days after contact. Although it starts unilaterally, up to 50 percent of cases can be seen in the other eye within a week. It starts as redness, burring, secretion (increased secretion) in the eye and enlargement of the lymph node in the front of the ear. Then, within a week or a few days, symptoms may appear in the other eye as well,”he said.

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SYMPTOMS CAN LAST FOR WEEKS

Explaining that adenovirus infections that are accompanied by disturbing symptoms such as the inability to open the eyes in the morning due to severe discharge from the eyelashes, significant blood in the eye are not an effective treatment method, but treatments aimed at reducing the symptoms can be applied, Prof. Dr.  continued his words as follows: “We have now learned about viral infections from covid in the country. There is no clear cure for viral conditions, infections. But you can carry out treatment aimed at correcting the symptoms. That’s how we track our patients. Symptoms of adenovirus in the eye can last from 1 to 3 weeks. It can be extremely painful. Especially sensitivity to light makes patients very uncomfortable. There may be a lot of stinging, burning, pain sensations. If there is a turbidity formed in the lower layers of the transparent layer, which we call both subepithelial opacities, the stress of our patients increases once again when vision loss is added, and their treatment is of greater importance.”

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THE TRANSMISSION TIME IS LONG, IT IS IMPORTANT TO AVOID CONTACT

Stating that the transmission time of the disease can also be long, Prof. Dr. “It can last from a few days to a few weeks,” Dr. said. In other words, it is very important to avoid contact because the transmission time is very long in this sense. In many diseases, we know that after the symptoms of the disease appear, the contagiousness disappears in a very short time. This is a well-known fact, especially in viral diseases. But adenovirus is not like that. After the symptoms appear, transmission times that sometimes last up to a week or two can also be seen from the exacerbation of the disease,”he said.

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MINIMIZE HAND EYE CONTACT

The most important way to protect the eyes from adenovirus infection is to reduce hand-eye contact, says Prof. Dr. “In addition, the joint use of personal belongings also increases the risk, ” Dr. said. We haven’t encountered this kind of situation very much in the last 2 years due to covid. But at the moment, compliance with the measures has been relaxed. Even though the pandemic is not over, people in many environments do not follow the rules of contact with the convenience of vaccination. This is also a plus risk factor for adenoviral conjunctivitis. We have to continue the same measures at the moment. There should be no hand-eye contact, especially during the illness, a person should never use a regular towel; they should dry their face with a paper towel. In addition, it is necessary to change the bed linen, pillows extremely often. We even recommend changing the pillowcase daily if possible. In addition, the examination instruments in the clinics need to be cleaned extremely meticulously. Because it can also become a source of infection. If we do not disinfect the environments we are examining in a good way, we will contribute to the spread of this epidemic. Therefore, after each patient, all instruments must be sterilized with special disinfectants,” he said.

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THE CHILDREN’S AGE GROUP IS MORE RISKY IN TERMS OF SPREAD

Stating that there is no problem for patients to make a warm water compress on their eyes at home, but very clean cotton should be used, noting that he continued his warnings as follows: “Very clean cotton and boiled water or tea should be used. It does them no harm. One of the behaviors that increases the risk that we most often encounter is that when one of the family members is sick, we take the medicine we give him and use the others in the same way. This is one of the situations that accelerates domestic transmission. Because the tip of the droppers comes into contact with one eye, then the spread occurs faster if another person uses it. The children’s age group seems to me especially more risky. Because if there is one child in kindergartens, no matter how much effort our teachers or parents make, unfortunately, it is not possible to isolate them. That’s why it can spread much faster in that age group.”

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President of Organ Transplant Center at MedicalPark Hospital Antalya

Turkey's world-renowned organ transplant specialist. Dr. Demirbaş has 104 international publications and 102 national publications.

Physician's Resume:

Born on August 7, 1963 in Çorum, Prof. Dr. Alper Demirbaş has been continuing his work as the President of MedicalPark Antalya Hospital Organ Transplantation Center since 2008.

Prof. who performed the first tissue incompatible kidney transplant in Turkey, the first blood type incompatible kidney transplant, the first kidney-pancreas transplant program and the first cadaveric donor and live donor liver transplant in Antalya. Dr. As of August 2016, Alper Demirbaş has performed 4900 kidney transplants, 500 liver transplants and 95 pancreas transplants.

In addition to being the chairman of 6 national congresses, he has also been an invited speaker at 12 international and 65 national scientific congresses. Dr. Alper Demirbaş was married and the father of 1 girl and 1 boy.

Awards:

Eczacibasi Medical Award of 2002, Akdeniz University Service Award of 2005, Izder Medical Man of the Year Award of 2006, BÖHAK Medical Man of the Year Award of 2007, Sabah Mediterranean Newspaper Scientist of the Year Award of 2007, ANTIKAD Scientist of the Year Award of 2009, Social Ethics Association Award of 2010, Işık University Medical Man of the Year Award of 2015, VTV Antalya's Brand Value Award of 2015.

Certificates:

Doctor of Medicine Degree Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine Ankara, General Surgeon Ministry of Health Turkey EKFMG (0-477-343-8), University of Miami School of Medicine Member of Multiple Organ Transplant, ASTS Multiorgan Transplant Scholarship. Lecturer at Kyoto University. Lecturer at University of Essen, Research assistant at the University of Cambridge .

Professional Members:

American Society of Transplant Surgeons, American Transplantation Society Nominated, Middle East and Southern Africa Council Transplantation Society 2007, International Liver Transplantation Association, Turkish Transplantation Association, Turkish Society of Surgery, Turkish Hepatobiliary Surgery Association.

Disclaimer:

Our website contents consist of articles approved by our Web and Medical Editorial Board with the contributions of our physicians. Our contents are prepared only for informational purposes for public benefit. Be sure to consult your doctor for diagnosis and treatment.
Medically Reviewed by Professor Doctor Alper Demirbaş
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