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- $Unique_ID{BRK01536}
- $Pretitle{}
- $Title{"CNN Conjunctivitis"}
- $Subject{eyes conjunctivitis Sense senses redness red eye irritated watching
- watch see seeing sight vision television dryness artificial tears crusts crust
- crusting lid lids eyelid eyelids pus optical irritation tv tear dry}
- $Volume{F-21}
- $Log{
- Conjunctivitis of the Eye*0010401.scf}
-
- Copyright (c) 1991-92,1993 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
-
-
- "CNN Conjunctivitis"
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-
- QUESTION: After a recent white night watching television for news of the war,
- I was surprised to find that many of my coworkers shared the same "red eye" I
- had. It was almost as if a raging infection had affected all our eyes. Was
- this a case of conjunctivitis, and what do you think we can do to treat this
- most annoying occurrence?
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- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- ANSWER: I wonder how many other Americans experienced the same problem during
- the first awesome days of the Gulf conflict? I know I shared the symptoms of
- irritated eyes with all of them, and so have some insight into the problem. I
- have chosen to name it "CNN Conjunctivitis", although it is not an infection
- by a virus or bacteria. I believe the irritation may be explained by the long
- hours of watching television, possibly the dryness of the atmosphere in heated
- rooms, and perhaps the presence of tobacco smoke. It is not unlike the bleary
- eyed experience of many students who spend the night cramming for an
- examination. Cutting back on those long hours of wakeful watching is a sure
- preventive measure that will help you avoid the problem. However, using
- wetting, artificial tears to overcome the dryness can be of some help in
- controlling the situation. Of course, should the condition persist after a
- good night's sleep, or if you notice crusts on your lids or the formation of
- pus, all bets are off and a visit to you doctor is indicated for further
- evaluation, diagnosis and treatment. Let us all pray that an honorable and
- quick end to this war will allow our television watching habits to return to a
- more normal routine, and allow the natural sparkle to return to our eyes.
-
- ----------------
-
- The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
- the counsel and advice of your personal physician. Promptly consulting your
- doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
- problem.
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-