Jeju National University Hospital sees 2–3 times the usual number of viral eye disease patients; infants and young children urged to take precautions against infection

【Financial News, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province = Reporter Jeong Yong-bok】 The number of patients with epidemic keratoconjunctivitis at the ophthalmology department of Jeju National University Hospital has reportedly risen to two to three times the usual level. Nationwide sentinel surveillance has also found a higher proportion of suspected cases among children aged 6 and under than among adults, prompting calls for precautions to prevent infection at home, in daycare centers and elsewhere.
According to Jeju National University Hospital on the 23rd, the number of patients seeking ophthalmology care for epidemic keratoconjunctivitis has risen sharply recently. Professor Jeong Jin-ho of the hospital’s ophthalmology department explained, “The number of patients we are treating has risen to two to three times the usual level, and because it is highly contagious, there is a possibility of further spread.”
National statistics also show cases of eye disease in the fall. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency’s infectious disease sentinel surveillance for week 41 of 2026, there were 11.5 suspected cases of epidemic keratoconjunctivitis per 1,000 ophthalmology outpatients nationwide in the second week of October.
The figure rose from 8.9 in mid-September to 12.7 at the end of September, then declined somewhat, but remains higher than in mid-September.
There was also a clear difference by age. The rate of suspected cases among children aged 6 and under was 36.4 per 1,000 ophthalmology outpatients, higher than the 9.9 among adults aged 20 and older.
Epidemic keratoconjunctivitis is usually caused by adenovirus infection. The eyes may become severely bloodshot, with increased tearing and eye discharge, and symptoms may include a gritty sensation as if sand were in the eye or swollen eyelids. It often starts in one eye and spreads to the other a few days later.
The main route of infection is contact. The virus can spread through hands or items such as towels, pillows, doorknobs and mobile phones contaminated with a patient’s eye secretions. Personal hygiene is important in communal settings such as daycare centers, kindergartens and schools.
To prevent infection, wash your hands with soap and running water for at least 30 seconds, and avoid touching or rubbing your eyes. If someone in your family becomes infected, use separate towels, bedding and eye drops. Since a person may remain contagious even after symptoms improve, it is best to consult the treating doctor about when to return to daycare, school or work.
Most patients recover over time, but traces of inflammation may remain on the cornea, or complications that affect vision may develop.
Professor Jeong Jin-ho stressed, “If you have severe eye pain or reduced vision, or cannot open your eyes properly, don’t dismiss it as a simple eye infection—seek care from an ophthalmologist.”


[email protected] Jeong Yong-bok Reporter