Watch out for Eye Disease during Winter Season [arirang News]

Contrary to the popular belief that eye inflammation occurs only in the summer,... recent statistics show it can also occur during the cold months as well. Health authorities say epidemic conjunctivitis,... or an infection of the eyes, is going around. Kim Ji-yeon reports. Red, swollen, watery and itchy eyes... These are the symptoms of an acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis infection. The outbreak as a result of an eye infection occurs most commonly in the summer, but new statistics show that it can also pop up when temperatures drop below zero degrees Celsius. And it's nothing to take lightly. Medical experts say severe infections can lead to corneal ulcers, something that can result in vision loss. The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday that the number of patients with epidemic conjunctivitis increased 65 percent in late December of 2012 compared to a month earlier. That amounts to about 340 patients being treated nationwide. Children below the ages of nine made up the largest number of patients, according to the same study, followed by those in their thirties and forties. Communal environments such as schools and workplaces, places where the virus can spread easily, are the main cause for the high number of infections among these groups. Currently there is no cure for epidemic conjunctivitis,... but the symptoms can be treated with eye drops and antimicrobial resistance. Thoroughly washing your hands is the best method to prevent infection, and parents are advised not to send their kids to school for two weeks if they are diagnosed with an eye infection. Kim Ji-yeon, Arirang News.