Entering the rainy season, the atmosphere is cool and refreshing. Many people who are not in good health are at risk of getting sick. Pink eye disease is one of the most common diseases that most people get during the rainy season. But hey!! Why does it have to happen during the rainy season? Can’t it happen in other seasons?

In fact, pink eye can occur in every season. But in the rainy season, wet roads with standing water and vehicles passing by bounce, bringing dirty water splashing into our eyes more easily than in other seasons. And importantly, the bacteria called Adenovirus thrives during this time and hides in dirty water or dust that blows into the eyes, causing pink eye (or Conjunctivitis).

What is red eye?

Pink Eye (or Conjunctivitis) is a disease caused by an abnormality of the eye, causing the eyeball to be red due to increased capillary expansion. General red eye will disappear within 1-2 days, depending on self-care. However, if the symptoms are not taken care of or treated, ‘pink eye disease’ may become more abnormal and the treatment methods will become more difficult.

Pink eye has many symptoms, such as:

1. Common symptoms include irritation, burning eyes, tearing, more eye mucus than usual, and a burning and red feeling in the eyes.
   
2. Symptoms caused by the virus include photosensitivity, swollen eyelids, swollen lymph nodes above the ear that are painful when pressed. Associated symptoms include coughing, sore throat,ยูฟ่าเบท and runny nose.
   
3. Symptoms of bacterial infection include watery eyes, tearing, or a large amount of green or yellow mucus. Some people can open their eyes but may not see clearly. Symptoms are similar to viral infections.
   
4. Symptoms caused by irritation or allergy, although the overall symptoms are not severe, will feel a burning sensation in the eyes, itchy eyelids and inner corners of the eyes, and often have tears.     

In addition to the causes of unclean water and dust entering the eyes, there are many other causes that put you at risk of pink eye disease. Therefore, you should practice good hygiene as follows:

1. Avoid contact with dirty water, avoid playing in flooded water, or swimming with people with pink eye.
   
2. If unclean water splashes into your eyes, you should wash it out immediately. Do not leave it because germs will cause conjunctivitis and put you at risk of disease.
   
3. Avoid being near people who have pink eye disease because it can easily spread and avoid sharing personal items with people who have the disease, such as towels and handkerchiefs.
   
4. Keep clean by washing blankets, bed sheets and hands thoroughly. Avoid touching your eyes frequently.
   
5. Avoid crowded areas where you might be exposed to airborne contaminants, such as public transportation, train stations, etc.

What should I do if I have pink eye?

1. You should rest your eyes and take a leave from work until you recover to reduce the spread of the disease to others.
   
2. If there are tears, use a cloth to wipe them away. Do not use the same cloth repeatedly.
   
3. Use eye drops prescribed by a doctor when itching occurs instead of rubbing your eyes. If symptoms do not improve, see a doctor for further treatment.

For patients with pink eye, they should see a specialist immediately to treat the symptoms and prevent them from spreading to other areas, such as swollen lymph nodes. Now that you know this, taking care of your health to be strong will help your body have a shield to fight against various diseases. Eating healthy food, eating 400 grams of vegetables and fruits per day, exercising regularly, drinking clean water, not smoking, and not drinking alcohol are things that the Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) has always emphasized so that Thai people can use it as a tool to prevent diseases and create Thai people to be healthy and know how to take care of their own health.