Health UPdates Webinar #260 “Sari-Saring Sore Eyes: Solving the Conjunctivitis Puzzle”

The University of the Philippines,
in partnership with the UP Manila – National Institutes of Health,
and in cooperation with UP Philippine General Hospital and UP College of Medicine,
would like to invite you to attend this webinar!

Registration slots are limited to this HEALTH UPDATES webinar
So sign up NOW:
bit.ly/HealthUpdatesWebinar260

Webinar #260
October 17, 2025 (Friday), 12:00 noon
Sari-Saring Sore Eyes: Solving the Conjunctivitis Puzzle

Presenter:
DR. RUBEN LIM BON SIONG
Professor and Chairperson
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
UP College of Medicine and Philippine General Hospital

Reactor:
DR. REGINALD ROBERT G. TAN
Cornea and Refractive Surgery specialist
Clinical Associate Professor,
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
UP College of Medicine and Philippine General Hospital

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Webinar #260
October 17, 2025 (Friday), 12:00 noon
Sari-Saring Sore Eyes: Solving the Conjunctivitis Puzzle

The ophthalmic landscape in the Philippines necessitates continuous professional development, especially regarding ubiquitous and highly transmissible ocular surface diseases such as conjunctivitis, locally known as “sore eyes.” While often considered a self-limiting ailment, recent localized outbreaks, influenced by environmental factors, population density, and evolving pathogen profiles, including persistent adenoviral strains and opportunistic bacterial species, underscore the critical need for updated, evidence-based management protocols.

In this week’s episode, we will bridge the knowledge gap between primary care diagnostics and advanced ophthalmological interventions by offering a comprehensive, post-pandemic perspective on this recurrent public health challenge. Our distinguished panel of experts will dissect the complex etiologies of acute and chronic conjunctivitis by moving beyond basic viral and bacterial classifications to address less common but potentially sight-threatening forms, such as Epidemic Keratoconjunctivitis (EKC) and refractory allergic subtypes. In this episode, we will provide an in-depth review of advanced differential diagnostic tools, optimizing the selection of topical antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory agents, and judicious utilization of corticosteroids in the presence of corneal involvement. We will also explore emergent treatments and discuss the long-term sequelae of severe conjunctivitis by examining how persistent ocular surface inflammation can compromise the integrity of the corneal epithelium, potentially leading to chronic dry eye disease or indications for lamellar keratoplasty.

Our main speaker is Dr. Ruben Lim Bon Siong, who is the Chairperson of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science at the UP College of Medicine and at the Philippine General Hospital. Our reactor is Dr. Reginald Robert G. Tan, who is a practicing cornea and refractive surgery specialist and is also a Clinical Associate Professor of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science at the UP College of Medicine and at the Philippine General Hospital.

Join us in learning how to execute effective infection control strategies and provide accurate patient counseling to mitigate community-level transmission, especially in high-risk environments like evacuation centers and clinical settings. Let us all safeguard visual acuity and improving overall public eye health outcomes!