The nurse assesses a 14 year old patient who reports itchy eyes and matted eyelashes. Which parent and patient education is the top priority?

Conjunctivitis is inflammation of the conjunctiva commonly caused by viral or bacterial pathogens, presenting with pruritus, crusting, discharge, and erythema. Transmission occurs via direct contact; strict hand hygiene interrupts spread and prevents reinfection and contamination. Rationale: A. Changing pillowcases reduces environmental contamination but is not the primary intervention to stop transmission. Fomite control is secondary. Absence of direct contact prevention and limited impact compared to hand hygiene makes this less urgent. B. Frequent handwashing is the most effective measure to prevent transmission of infectious conjunctivitis. It interrupts pathogen spread from ocular secretions to others and surfaces. Emphasis on hand hygiene and reducing direct contact makes this the top priority. C. Avoiding shared eye makeup helps reduce transmission, especially in bacterial conjunctivitis, but is not as immediately effective as hand hygiene. It targets indirect spread. Limited focus on personal items rather than direct transmission lowers its priority. D. Using clean towels daily reduces risk of reinfection and cross-contamination but is a secondary preventive measure. It addresses fomites rather than primary transmission. Focus on linen hygiene without controlling hand contact makes it less critical.