Ethambutol used in treatment of tuberculosis can cause blindness, said Sreeni Edakhlon, Chairman, Scientific Committee of Kerala Society of Ophthalmic Surgeons (KSOS).
He was speaking at the State Ophthalmology seminar ‘Ophthalmology Decoded’ held at E.K. Nayanar Academy here, organised under the aegis of KSOS, Comtrust Charitable Trust Eye Hospital, Ophthalmological Society of Kannur, and Indian Medical Association, Thalassery, on Sunday.
The conference was inaugurated by Speaker of the Kerala Legislative Assembly A.N. Shamseer.
Dr. Edakhlon said it was the higher dosage of Ethambutol that was causing vision loss. But, this high dose is necessary to manage multi-drug resistant tuberculosis. He also said that rheumatological diseases, if untreated, can lead to loss of vision.
Further, he said that glaucoma is an important cause of irreversible blindness. Since this a silent blinding condition without pain, and the patient doesn’t recognise the loss until the situation worsens, everyone should do an eye check up at least by the age of 40, he said, adding that treatment can preserve the residual vision effectively.
Ganesh V. Raman from Aravind Eye Hospital, Coimbatore, V.A. Jaison from Jyothis Eye Care, Kannur, Minu Mathan from Chaithanya Eye Hospital Trivandrum , Gopal S. Pillai from Amritha Institute of Medical Sciences, Bindu S. Ajith and Vijayalakshmi from Comtrust Eye Hospital, Kozhikode, chaired the sessions.
