How to Avoid the Contagious ‘Pink Eye’

Severe cases of conjunctivitis remain on the rise across the country, as infections among adults and children continue to spread.  Pink eye, as it is commonly known, is a swelling of the outermost layer of the white part of the eye, as well as the inner surface of the eyelid.  While it makes the eye appear pink or reddish, there may also be pain, burning, scratchiness or itchiness.  The affected eye may have increased tears or be stuck shut in the morning.  Epidemiologist, Doctor Ethan Gough further describes the symptoms associated with conjunctivitis.

Ethan Gough

Dr. Ethan Gough, Epidemiologist

“We encourage anyone experiencing any signs or symptoms of conjunctivitis to seek medical attention and get formally diagnosed and treated.”

Reporter

“Those signs and symptoms are?”

Dr. Ethan Gough

“Itchy eyes, red eyes, watery eyes, discharge from the eyes.  Those are the major signs and symptoms of conjunctivitis and we also ask people who are showing signs and symptoms to stay at home.  This goes for both school children and the working public.  Imagine a situation where if you were infected with conjunctivitis and go to school… On average, every one person infected with conjunctivitis will infect between three and seven additional people.  You go to school; you infect seven people or maybe three.  They go home, they infect their family members, their family members go out to whatever school they go to or work and it just keeps going on like that.  So one of the most effective ways to interrupt that chain of transmission is for people who are infected to avoid exposing others, so we ask them to stay at home.”