- Experts recommend frequent hand washing with soap and water and avoiding contact with the eyes, which are a major source of infection.
Tepic, Nayarit; Wednesday, September 13, 2023. – In the face of seasonal and climatic changes, the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS) in Nayarit calls on the general public to prevent the development of conjunctivitis through basic hygiene rules.
Coordinating epidemiology experts note that this condition is one of the most common eye infections, since not only seasonal and climatic changes can cause inflammatory processes, but it can also be caused by infectious, allergic or toxic substances.
In this regard, IMSS entity epidemiologist Dr. Jesús Gómez Almaraz explained that conjunctivitis refers to inflammation of the conjunctiva or the white part of the eye.
“People should be aware of the most common symptoms, such as: foreign body sensation, itching, blurred vision, eye pain, conjunctival injection due to small vessel vasculitis, tearing, photophobia (fear of light), and serous, watery, or purulent symptoms. If Left untreated, the complication will become hemorrhagic conjunctivitis, characterized by bloody tears, requiring urgent and specialized attention,” the epidemiologist warned.
He added that irritant conjunctivitis is caused by allergens such as dust, soot, smoke and air. The main cases of conjunctivitis in the state are viral conjunctivitis.
Gómez Almaras advises that given the symptoms that appear, people should go to a Family Medicine Center (UMF) so that a specialist can make a diagnosis and indicate specific treatments.
Furthermore, he reiterated the importance of taking extreme precautions such as washing hands frequently with soap and water and avoiding contact with anyone.
Eyes, because the eye-hand-eye transmission mechanism is the main source of infection.