CHENNAI: The city’s most common summer infection, Conjunctivitis, is rearing its ugly head yet again. Although the eye infection has not been as widespread as was expected, eye experts warn that many in the city have been infected in the last couple of months, and that it should not be taken lightly.
Conjunctivitis or Madras Eye refers to an inflammation of the eye caused by a virus, which spreads by contact and can be treated with antibiotic eye-drops. “At least four patients see us everyday with this complaint. And the numbers have increased in the last fortnight,” said Dr Amar Agarwal of Dr Agarwal’s Eye Hospital.
The common problem remained that the infection was being taken lightly, he explained. “Many people affected by Madras Eye do not consult doctors and resort to self-medication. Usage of some steroid-based eye drops or neglecting the infection can cause corneal ulcers and the patients then come to us with an affected cornea,” he said. Though Madras Eye is a self-limiting viral infection, if left untreated, it could lead to a secondary bacterial infection, he said.
‘‘There was a viral infection that affected the throat and the eye last month because of which many cases of Madras Eye were treated in April. Though Madras Eye infections are still being complained about, the numbers have comparatively reduced now,’’ said Dr Bhaskar Srinivasan, Cornea Consultant of Sankara Nethralaya. At least three complaints are being handled everyday at the Regional Institute of Opthalmology and Government Ophthalmic Hospital, according to a duty medical officer.
Though the number of Madras Eye complaints has not been alarmingly high in the city, it is an infection that can spread in a very short span of time and strict precautions must be taken to prevent this, warns Dr Agarwal. “There are some common ways to prevent the spread of the infection. Those infected should desist from going to work and they should not share towels or handkerchiefs with anybody,” he suggests.
Meanwhile, there is no link to the infection and the summer, said Dr Mohan Rajan, chairman and MD of Rajan Eye Care, adding that there were not many cases of Madras Eye reported at his eye-care centre this summer.