“If you suspect you have “red eye” avoid home remedies, OTC Drugs” - Ophthalmologist

“If you suspect you have “red eye” avoid home remedies, OTC Drugs” – Ophthalmologist

Sep 17, 2019 News

Ophthalmologist Dr. Jenell Sarju during a programme titled “Your Health Matters” on Kaieteur Radio yesterday advised the public that if they suspect that they may have conjunctivitis – commonly known as “Red Eye” – they should avoid home remedies or Over the Counter (OTC) drugs from pharmacies.
The discussion was centred on eye-care specifically red eye, its symptoms, treatment and how to avoid contracting the bacteria that causes the ailment.
Dr. Sarju said that, “There are two things we normally get when patients come to the clinic. One being that someone told them to wash their eyes with salt water. Please do not do that because that makes the eye worse and it irritates it further”.
She advised that using basic, plain warm water that has nothing added to it, to flush the eye, would do the trick to somewhat subside the irritation and redness. The other common “treatment” seen is the sterile eye drops that are administered when they go to pharmacies, and these drops are not medically recommended to treat conjunctivitis.
The doctor informed that the timeframe for treatment is approximately one week, but ophthalmologists normally prescribe enough to last two to three weeks in order for the patient to be fully recovered and “out of the woods”.
She went on to explain that most of the patients seen with the ailment have a common complaint, “They woke up with their eyes paste down with cold. As soon as most ophthalmologists hear, this the first thing that comes to mind is red eye”.
However, this observation doesn’t always mean that it’s red eye. Other symptoms have to be compounded with it such as itchiness, redness and swelling. Sarjou advised that if one suspects that they have red eye, and are far away from a hospital, they could go to the nearest health centre to receive treatment.
If the medication prescribed at the health centre doesn’t work, it’s advisable that they see an ophthalmologist after. Dr. Sarju emphasised that she was in no way saying that pharmacies are bad, but just making sure that when purchasing medication, patients have a prescription for the correct drug to address their ailment.
She did note that, “Some people tend to find it easier to go to a pharmacy than the doctor. Not knowing what they are suffering from or the severity of it. If the incorrect medication is administered, this could lead to further complications. She reiterated that medical attention should be sought before running off to a pharmacy”.
(Anasa Williams)

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