Pink eye spreads across Butler campus

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Students at Butler University are seeing pink … in their eyes.

Pink Eye, a highly contagious virus, has been spreading across campus.  As many as 11 students a day have been visiting the University’s Health Services clinic with symptoms related to Pink Eye or Conjunctivitis.

“They usually wake up in the morning and they are freaked out," said Health Services physician Dr. Maria Fletcher. "Their lashes are glued together or they open their eyes and their eyes are really red”

Conjunctivitis is the same virus that causes the common cold. It spreads easily especially among people especially those who live in close proximity to one another.

Sophomore Jessie Eastman lives in a sorority house. She thinks she contracted the virus from one of her four roommates.

“It goes really fast. It’s been on campus a month now at least.  As soon as you get some sort of the virus on your hand and touch your eye you are pretty much bound to get it” said Eastman. “My eyes were just a little bit pink. They weren't that red. They just kind of itched and had a little of the goop.”

Students who visit health Services are being given eye drops. Symptoms usually clear up within 3-5 days.

To avoid contracting the virus, doctors say wash your hands often. That simple step is working well at Butler’s Health Services clinic.

“I see it a lot.  All the health professionals here see it a lot and none of us have gotten it” said Dr. Fletcher.