Chennai: The incidence of conjunctivitis or ‘Madras Eye’ has seen a surge in the city, especially in North Chennai and eye hospitals are witnessing more people walking in with the viral infection.
Children are mostly falling prey to the eye infection with symptoms such as reddening of eyes, watery discharge and sensitivity to light. These are some of the primary symptoms of highly infectious acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis, say medicos. Of the allergic, infectious and chemical conjunctivitis, cases of allergic and infectious conjunctivitis have seen a rise.
Recently a 16-month-old girl was rushed to an eye hospital in the city after blood started to drip from the child’s swollen eyes, which is a case of acute haemorrhagic conjunctivitis that involves the discharge of blood by vessels of the conjunctiva. Parents of the child were terrified seeing blood dripping from the girl’s eyes but ophthalmologists say that such worse conditions can be avoided with specialized treatment.
“We’re seeing many patients with a severe form of highly infectious acute haemorrhagic conjunctivitis. Some of them come only after the condition worsens, vision is disrupted or there is bleeding from the eyes. Patients should avoid random eye drops and consult specialists to treat secondary infections and ease symptoms,” said Dr S Soundari, eye specialist, Dr Agarwal’s Eye Hospitals.
Medicos also stress on isolation of affected person to prevent the spread of the infection as conjunctivitis spreads mainly one comes into contact with the objects used by the affected person.
“Isolation not only helps the eye get some rest, but further infections need to avoided as watery discharge from the eye can affect others. Watery discharge should completely stop before one gets back to school or work and solution from the same eye drop bottle for the unaffected eye should be avoided,” said V Ranjith, an ophthalmologist.
