It’s that time of the year when residents have to be careful about their eyes. ‘Madras Eye’, as conjunctivitis is popularly known, is doing the rounds in the city, doctors say.
At the Government Ophthalmic Hospital, Egmore, there have been 30 to 40 cases per day over the last week, said K. Sridhar, director of the hospital. “They are not very severe but we are asking patients to see an eye doctor as early as possible and not resort to self-medication,” he said. However, Mohan Rajan, chairman of Rajan Eye Care Hospital, said only about 10-15 have been coming in every day for nearly a month.
The contagious viral infection, which causes swelling and inflammation among some patients, has been taking longer to heal, he added.
To avoid the spread of the infection within the family, Dr. Rajan advised isolation of patients and the use of separate towels. “We administer lubricant eye drops as well as antibiotics to prevent secondary infections,” he said.
At SIMS Hospital, Vadapalani, there have been a few casing coming in too, said Dr. Prativa Misra, senior consultant ophthalmologist. “Usually, change in climate leads to conjunctivitis. So, the onset of the dry, cold climate could have spurred the virus,” she said. Dr. Misra also said patients should avoid touching their eyes, as by doing so they could infect others, when they come in contact with common surfaces.
Signs to watch out for are: sudden onset of redness, the sensation of a foreign body in the eye, discharge and sticky eyelids, said Dr. Rajan.
Doctors say the viral infection, which causes swelling and inflammation, is taking longer to heal
