I wondered if it was going to rain after a long drought, but the rainy season front is taking over the Korean Peninsula. Although it is not good news, it is necessary to prepare countermeasures as flood damage can occur even during the rainy season. It is not only the damage caused by water damage that needs to be prepared during the rainy season. In a hot and humid environment, it is necessary to pay special attention to eye health. So, what are some common sense of eye health to be aware of during the rainy season?
If you usually wear contact lenses, you should pay more attention to cleanliness in the rainy season. Due to the nature of multi-use contact lenses, contaminants are easily attached to the lenses and there is a high risk of bacterial growth. Therefore, it is recommended to avoid wearing lenses during the long rainy season, and if you must wear lenses, you need to pay special attention to cleanliness. When removing the lens, be sure to wash your hands before touching the lens, and even if you change the lens cleaning solution and preservative solution frequently, the storage container may already be contaminated, so it is desirable to clean the container as well.
Hot and humid weather is an environment where viruses thrive, and there is a risk of ‘acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis’, commonly called ‘Apollo eye disease’. In general, acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis develops after an incubation period of up to 48 hours and is highly contagious, so you should visit an ophthalmologist as soon as symptoms appear. Symptoms of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis include ▲ itching, ▲ redness, and ▲ tearing. If these symptoms appear, it is recommended to visit an ophthalmologist after wearing an eye patch so as not to spread the virus to the surrounding area.
When using a swimming pool or water park in summer, you also need to be careful about ‘keratoconjunctivitis’ caused by the disinfectant contained in the water. If you get keratoconjunctivitis, you may experience symptoms such as ▲ redness, ▲ eye mucus, ▲ eyelid edema, ▲ tearing, and ▲ foreign body sensation. If you experience symptoms of keratoconjunctivitis, it is recommended to thoroughly wash your hands and reduce contact as much as possible by using separate towels or soap with your family. If you administer eye drops prescribed by an ophthalmologist, most of the improvement occurs within 1 to 2 weeks.