Increased in the autumn itchy and red eye may indicate eye flu

Eye flu can be the trigger for itchy and red eyes
Only a few days ago it had been reported that in Bonn, the eye flu is spreading more and more. According to health experts, this disease occurs frequently in the fall. Antibiotics do not help here, but usually the symptoms disappear within a few weeks.

Locally heaped cases
Red and itchy eyes may indicate a particularly aggressive form of conjunctivitis: eye flu, also known as keratoconjunctivitis epidemica. According to the professional association of ophthalmologists of Germany (BVA) occur again frequently locally cases. This was also recently revealed in Bonn.

In autumn there are more cases of eye flu. Antibiotics do not help against this disease. Eye drops can relieve the symptoms. (Image: diego cervo / fotolia.com)

Eye flu in autumn and spring especially often
The scientific board of the association, Professor Hans Hoerauf, said in a message from the news agency dpa: "This is a bit like with a normal flu." According to the eye flu there are every year, especially in autumn and spring.

Since the eye flu is unlike the bacterial conjunctivitis caused by viruses, no antibiotics help. In case of suspicion, you should give prior to the doctor's visit necessarily in practice, because the disease is very contagious.

According to BVA, you may then be asked to come to a separate waiting room so that no other patients are infected.

Rarely, corneal damage is possible
Typical symptoms of an eye flu are red, burning and itchy eyes. In addition, sufferers have a foreign body feeling in the eye. Frequently, eyelid swelling and enlargement of the lymph nodes in front of the ear develop.

In addition, the cornea may become cloudy. As a rule, the infectious conjunctiva and corneal inflammation heals completely and without consequences. However, in a few cases, as Hoerauf explained, damage to the cornea can occur but can be treated in a targeted manner.

According to the BVA, the infection ends after a few days to two weeks. When the eyes are dry, eye drops and ointments can relieve the symptoms.

Regularly wash hands
Triggers of eye flu are adenoviruses. According to the Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA), these viruses are "a pathogen group that causes a variety of diseases, including. respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract or conjunctiva and cornea. "

Eye flu viruses spread through smear infection. Therefore, the most important hygiene rule is hand washing, this is the best prevention against the disease.

The BVA advises you to wash your hands frequently and to refrain from shaking hands to greet you better. In addition, one should as little as possible rub his eyes with his hands so as not to make it too easy for the viruses. (Ad)