When do you need to remove pseudomembrane from pink eye?

Dr. Dang Xuan Nguyen, member of the Vietnam Ophthalmology Association, replied: Pink eye disease is still complicated in many localities, in which many children and students are suffering from this disease, mainly caused by the Adeno virus. Although it is a benign disease, there are also many cases with serious complications, affecting eyesight.

In particular, this year's epidemic has recorded many cases of pink eye with pseudomembranes (a white membrane attached to the conjunctiva) covering the inside of the eyelids, causing severe swelling, pain, and difficulty opening the eyes...

The pseudomembrane will aggravate the inflammatory reaction and act as a barrier to prevent the drug from contacting the conjunctiva, and is also a place for bacteria to grow, easily leading to infection. Removing the pseudomembrane helps the injury heal quickly because the pseudomembrane also causes friction, causing corneal scratches, increasing the risk of corneal ulcers.

Therefore, when pseudomembrane appears, it must be peeled off. Some patients only need to peel off the pseudomembrane once, but others need to peel it off 2-3 times to stabilize.

There is currently no specific antiviral drug for Adeno. Therefore, in addition to removing the pseudomembrane, the patient will be treated with topical antibiotics to prevent bacterial superinfection and topical anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce the inflammatory response.

Pink eye usually does not affect vision, but if not treated properly, it can cause complications such as corneal scarring, leading to vision loss. If the patient has undergone corneal peeling, they should continue to take medication as directed by the doctor and return for regular check-ups. Patients should not buy eye drops themselves because it can cause dangerous complications.

Recorded by Dieu Thu

Source: https://nld.com.vn/suc-khoe/khi-nao-dau-mat-do-can-boc-gia-mac-20230925210118763.htm