A closer look at sore eyes

MANILA, Philippines – Do you suffer from persistent itchy with pus-like discharge and grainy feeling inside the eyes? Chances are you are suffering from infective conjunctivitis or sore eyes.

But there are various types of conjunctivitis so one treatment for a certain type may not work for another, says Dr. Rory King Go, a US-trained vitreous and retinal disease specialist of Advanced Vision Laser Center at Medical Plaza Makati.

Red eye is one indication of having conjunctivitis as well as watery or pus-like discharge. However, the kind of liquid discharge may help distinguish the type of sore eyes, the two most common of which are acute and viral/bacterial.

Acute conjunctivitis leads to lid swelling, inflammation, and redness at the white of the eye and lines inside the eyelids due to allergic reactions. The pus-like discharge that keeps eyelid sticking especially in the morning is another indication.

The second most common and contagious is viral or bacterial, which is easily spread by contamination from one person to another and usually comes with watery-fluid discharge.

Dr. Go clarifies that conjunctivitis cannot be passed on by merely staring at the eyes of an infected person. “There has to be contact or transfer of fluids from the eyes infected by conjunctivitis,” he explains.

Viral or bacterial conjunctivitis may respond to topical or oral antibiotics, but acute conjunctivitis may not. That is why at the onset of sore eyes, Dr. Go recommends eye checkup instead of using over-the-counter eye drops.

Antibiotic therapy is adjusted according to culture and sensitivity results or if the condition does not respond. A follow-up check every one to two days initially to see the progress of the treatment is recommended, then every two to five days until completely cured.

“People buy a combination of antibiotics with steroids without consulting a doctor, but these medicines must only be taken with specific guidelines and proper dosage. Some will use them for one month, two months, and they end up with steroid or antibiotic overdose,” says Dr. Go.

He warns that prolonged use of steroids can cause glaucoma, cataract, and other eye diseases.

Advanced Vision Laser Center is located at Suite 1004-1006, Medical Plaza Makati, Amorsolo corner Dela Rosa Streets, Legaspi Village, Makati City. For more information, call 844-3500, 845-2656 or 845-2714; e-mail jso@pldtdsl.net or log on to www.advancedvision.com.ph.