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It’s a common eye condition affecting up to 25 million people around the world every year and being highly contagious, can spread like wildfire – especially among children.

Now, a study at the Lions Eye Institute (LEI) is testing whether a new treatment for viral conjunctivitis can reduce the length of infection as well as common signs and symptoms like red eyes and sticky eye discharge.

Also known as “pink eye” or “flu of the eye”, viral conjunctivitis is usually caused by the adenovirus and can last up to three weeks. Unlike bacterial conjunctivitis, which responds to antibiotic eye drops, there are currently no treatments available to reduce the signs, symptoms and contagious nature of viral conjunctivitis.

The RUBY Trial is testing whether the drug OKG-0301 – an eye drop form of ranpirnase – is safe and helps people with viral conjunctivitis.

The LEI is one of several Australian trials centres hoping to recruit people within the first three days of exhibiting conjunctivitis symptoms in order to test the new treatment.

Principal investigator, Associate Professor Mei-Ling Tay-Kearney, said the drug worked by reducing the ability of adenovirus to reproduce itself.

“Acute adenoviral conjunctivitis is a highly contagious, widespread disease which frequently reoccurs and causes significant discomfort, and in some cases, permanent damage to a person’s vision,” she said.

“To limit the spread of the infection within the family and the community, patients are typically instructed to avoid work, school or day care so finding new treatments which reduce its impact both on eye health and day-to-day living is important.

“The purpose of this research is to test whether this drug can reduce the length of time patients are infectious, as well as reducing the signs of symptoms like eye redness and eye discharge.”