Two girls, aged 13 and 6, from Pilluseri village near here, who developed complications in their eyes following administration of eye drops bought from a local grocery shop, were rushed to Government Rajaji Hospital on Monday.
According to the girls’ mother, K. Seerangam, the school-going girls complained of pain in their eyes on Sunday night. As she could not take them to a doctor at that time, Ms. Seerangam bought a capsule of eye drops sold by the local grocer.
Soon after administration of the medicine on Monday morning, the girls complained of severe irritation and pain in their eyes, and they were not able to open their eyes.
Ms. Seerangam took the girls to Kallanthiri Primary Health Centre, from where the doctors sent them to the GRH in an ambulance.
The doctors at the GRH, however, said it was not a serious complication and there was no risk of the girls losing eyesight. “The mother did not bring the medicine she had bought from the grocery store. So I am not sure which medicine was used. It could have been an incorrect or expired medicine,” said S.V. Chandra Kumar, a senior Professor at the Department of Ophthalmology.
He said the complication appeared to be a case of ‘epithelial aberration’, for which treatment had been provided, and it would subside within 48 hours.
Soon after administration of the medicine, the girls complained of severe irritation and pain in their eyes
