The season of giving is upon us and so is the spread of dreaded conjunctivitis, also known as Pink Eye. In this case, giving is as bad as receiving. Delaware General Health District released information regarding an increase in reported cases.
The release states, “Over 50 cases have been reported to the DGHD since October 1st. Conjunctivitis can result from many causes including allergens, bacteria, contact lens use, chemicals, fungi, viruses, and certain diseases.”
Pink Eye Prevention
- Wash your hands often with soap and water.
- Avoid touching or rubbing your eyes
- Avoid sharing personal items like makeup, eye drops, towels, and bedding
- Do Not use the same eye products for infected and non-infected eyes
- Stop wearing contact lenses until your doctor says it’s okay
- Clean, Store, and replace your contact lenses as instructed by your eye doctor
Source: Delaware General Health District
Without treatment, a bacterial cause could clear up in two to five days and could take as long as two weeks to clear up. With antibiotics, it could take up to four days to clear. It is important to note, according to the Ohio Administrative Code, “A person with purulent conjunctivitis who attends or
works in a child care center shall be excluded from the child care center and may return twenty-four hours after the initiation of effective antimicrobial therapy.”
