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What Is Pink Eye Infection? Why There Is A Rapid Surge In The Number Of Cases During Monsoon?

Pink Eye Infection, or conjunctivitis is a contagious infection. India has seen a 10-15 per cent increase in conjunctivitis cases over the past few weeks.

Pink eye infection or conjunctivitis is an infection that causes inflammation of the transparent membrane that lines your eyelid and eyeball. This monsoon has caused a rapid increase in cases of conjunctivitis in different parts of the country. According to doctors, the main cause of pink eye infection is because of adenovirus, which seems to affect children more than adults.

What is Pink Eye Infection?

Pink eye, also known as conjunctivitis, is an inflammation of the conjunctiva, which is the thin, transparent tissue that covers the white part of the eye and lines the inner surface of the eyelids. It can be caused by viruses, bacteria, allergens, or irritants. They are highly contagious, especially if caused by viruses or bacteria, and can spread through direct or indirect contact with infected eye secretions. Treatment depends on the cause and may involve antiviral or antibiotic eye drops, cold compresses, and avoiding contact with others until the infection clears up.

Types of Conjunctivitis

Viral Conjunctivitis

Allergic Conjunctivitis

Bacterial Conjunctivitis

What are the symptoms of Conjunctivitis?

The symptoms of conjunctivitis, commonly known as pink eye, can vary depending on the underlying cause, which may be viral, bacterial, allergic, or related to irritants. Here are the general symptoms associated with conjunctivitis:

The whites of the eyes (sclera) may appear pink or red due to inflammation of the conjunctiva.

The eyes may feel itchy and irritated, leading to the urge to rub or scratch them.

Increased tearing or watery eyes may occur as a response to the inflammation.

 There may be a discharge from the eye(s), which can be clear and watery (viral or allergic conjunctivitis) or thicker and yellow or greenish (bacterial conjunctivitis).

The eyelids may become puffy and swollen due to inflammation.

Bright lights may cause discomfort or pain in the affected eyes.

People with conjunctivitis may feel like there is something gritty or foreign in their eyes.

In some cases, conjunctivitis can cause mild blurring of vision.

When waking up in the morning, the eyelashes may be stuck together due to dried discharge.

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What are the preventive measures for Pink Eye Infection?

Preventive measures for pink eye (conjunctivitis) can help reduce the risk of contracting or spreading the infection. Whether the conjunctivitis is viral, bacterial, or allergic, these preventive measures can be effective:

Wash your hands frequently with soap and water, especially before touching your face, including your eyes. Avoid rubbing or touching your eyes with unwashed hands.

Do not share towels, washcloths, pillowcases, eye makeup, or other personal items that may come into contact with your eyes.

If you wear contact lenses, follow the prescribed cleaning and disinfecting routine for your lenses. Ensure your hands are clean before handling lenses and avoid sleeping with them on, unless otherwise recommended by your eye care professional.

Protect your eyes from irritants such as smoke, dust, and other airborne particles. If necessary, use safety goggles or protective eyewear in dusty or hazardous environments.

If you have known allergies, take appropriate measures to manage them, such as using antihistamines or avoiding allergens that trigger your symptoms.

Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your elbow when coughing or sneezing to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses that can cause conjunctivitis.

If you are in a crowded environment or public space, be mindful of maintaining distance from people with obvious symptoms of respiratory infections.

Avoid touching your face, especially your eyes, mouth, and nose, as it can transfer germs from your hands to these sensitive areas.

Discard eye drops, ointments, or other eye products after their expiration date, and avoid using products that appear contaminated or have been used while you had conjunctivitis.

If there is a vaccine available for infectious conjunctivitis (such as adenovirus conjunctivitis), consider getting vaccinated if you are at a higher risk or advised by a healthcare professional.

Why does pink eye infection rise during?

Monsoon brings higher levels of humidity, creating a favourable environment for the growth and spread of bacteria and viruses, which can cause infectious conjunctivitis. The damp and humid weather also can cause irritants like dust, pollution, and smoke to stay suspended in the air longer, increasing the likelihood of these substances coming into contact with the eyes and causing irritative conjunctivitis. 

If you experience symptoms of conjunctivitis, it is essential to seek medical attention for a proper diagnosis and appropriate treatment. A healthcare professional can determine the cause of conjunctivitis and recommend the appropriate course of action, whether it involves eye drops, ointments, or other treatments. Also, if you have conjunctivitis, it's essential to practice good hygiene, avoid touching or rubbing your eyes, and refrain from sharing towels, pillowcases, or other personal items to prevent spreading the infection to others.

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Conjunctivitis spreads by direct contact - when touching your eye after touching contaminated surfaces

New Delhi: Incessant and unabated rain and flooding have given a significant rise in the number of conjunctivitis cases across northern India, especially in the national capital New Delhi where the doctors are witnessing a heavy rush in the number of patients daily.

Even though the doctors say it is an annual phenomenon, this year it has been aggravated because of the unusual showers, flooding, and increased moisture in the atmosphere.

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Experts from the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences or AIIMS have said within a month, the cases have gone up by almost 50 to 60 per cent, with mostly children being affected.

What is conjunctivitis?

Conjunctivitis, according to the American Optometric Association, is referred to casually as "pink eye". It is the swelling or inflammation of the conjunctiva, the thin, transparent layer of tissue that lines the inner surface of the eyelid and covers the white part of the eye.

Causes may or may not be infectious.

It spreads by direct contact - when touching your eye after touching contaminated surfaces. Therefore, doctors advise not to share towels or personal items when you develop the condition. You can contract the infection if you have had contact with the eye secretions of another patient.

However, it doesn't affect your vision and after the disease has been treated or run its course, the eyes get completely cured.

Does conjunctivitis spread by just looking at an infected eye?

There is a common misconception that conjunctivitis can spread by simply looking into someone's eyes. However, according to doctors, it is not true, as conjunctivitis only spreads through direct contact with the discharge from an infected person's eyes.

However, simply looking into someone's eyes neither causes nor spreads the infection, The virus only spreads when you touch your eyes after coming into contact with the infected person's eye secretions.

Do only children get pink eye?

No, even though pink eye is very common among children, it is not just a kids' infection.

The condition occurs more in children for several reasons like they rub their eyes and do not wash their hands properly. Infectious conjunctivitis is easily spread in environments where children are nearby like schools.

Do you still get pink eye if you don't rub your eyes?

Doctors say touching your eyes with unclean hands is just one way that you can get conjunctivitis. The eyes get infected they come in contact with any contaminated object or substance like improperly cleaned contact lenses, makeup, or even the tip of an eye-drop dispenser that was used on an eye with conjunctivitis.

Viral conjunctivitis spreads through exposure to the coughing and sneezing of a person with an upper-respiratory infection.

Is there no treatment for conjunctivitis?

According to health experts, conjunctivitis is a mild infection that goes away on its own. Even though there are treatments like a few eye drops that can ease the discomfort, dryness, and inflammation, pink eyes get alright on their own.

Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purposes only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a dietician before starting any fitness programme or making any changes to your diet.

Researchers Discover Specialized Immune Cells Patrolling The Human Eye

University of Melbourne researchers have discovered that the sentinels guarding the healthy human cornea from pathogens and inflammation are T cells, and not another type of immune cells called dendritic cells, as previously thought.

The discovery, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal, redefines current understanding of the immune cell landscape in the cornea of a healthy human eye.

It builds on previous research published by the team last year in Cell Reports that showed that T cells protect the eye against virus infection in mice.

The collaborative research team led by University of Melbourne's Associate Professor Laura Downie and Dr. Holly Chinnery from the Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences and Professor Scott Mueller, from the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the Doherty Institute, jointly developed a new imaging technique as part of their investigation.

Professor Mueller explained that our knowledge of the various immune cell types in the human cornea is important for establishing the eye's protective mechanisms against pathogens and disease.

"By combining our newly developed imaging technique with other advanced analytical approaches, we were able to discover that a significant number of cells at the surface of the healthy cornea are actually T cells," said Professor Mueller.

"Until now, these cells were mistakenly classified as dendritic cells based on static imaging. This completely changes the current dogma in the field that only dendritic cells are present in the healthy cornea."

Associate Professor Downie said that being able to dynamically capture the cells' normal behavior, and in response to inflammation, provides unique understanding into the immune response in the eye.

"Using our non-invasive imaging approach, which we term Functional In Vivo Confocal Microscopy (Fun-IVCM), we have been able to see that these T cells move around quickly and interact with other cells and nerves in the outermost layer of the cornea. We also captured different cell dynamics in response to contact lens wear and in allergic eye disease, and quantified how these behaviors are modulated by drug treatments," said Associate Professor Downie.

"These findings reshape our understanding of the distinct immune cell subsets in the human cornea, and how they respond to different stimuli. Using Fun-IVCM, we can achieve rapid, real-time insight into the cellular immune responses in living humans, in this accessible peripheral sensory tissue."

Dr. Chinnery said that the new research will have major implications for the medical and immunology fields, including for patients and practitioners.

"Because this new technique involves non-invasive, time-lapse imaging of the human cornea, Fun-IVCM could be used in clinics directly to assess immune responses and ocular health. It could even be used for general immune system health," said Dr. Chinnery. "Changes in T cells and behavior could be used as a clinical biomarker of disease and assist with treatments."

More information: Downie, Laura E. Et al, Redefining the human corneal immune compartment using dynamic intravital imaging, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2023). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2217795120

Provided by The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity

Citation: Researchers discover specialized immune cells patrolling the human eye (2023, July 24) retrieved 28 July 2023 from https://medicalxpress.Com/news/2023-07-specialized-immune-cells-patrolling-human.Html

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