The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Conjunctivitis on the wane

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Dec 03, 2006
ePaper

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Conjunctivitis on the wane

Staff Reporter

Infection rate still high in North Chennai

CHENNAI: Conjunctivitis, a viral infection of the eye, is on the wane after two months, but doctors continue to get a daily stream of patients afflicted with it. The infection rate continues to be high in north Chennai, enquiries show.

Acute conjunctivitis is the redness and inflammation of the clear covering (the conjunctiva) that coats the white of the eye and lines the inside of the eyelids.

The infection comes relatively quickly and lasts for a few days. Acute conjunctivitis may clear easily but needs medical treatment. The Bhagwan Mahaveer Eye Hospital in Royapuram receives at least 20 cases every day. Earlier it used to be 30, says Malini Raghuraman, medical director. She attributes the spread of the infection to poor hygiene and non-adherence to precautions.

"This time the infection has been of a slightly longer duration. This particular strain of adeno virus is virulent and is affecting the cornea. The virulence depends on the resistance of the individual," says ophthalmologist Mohan Rajan of Rajan Eye Care Hospital in T. Nagar. People complain of swollen lids, lid edema and swelling of the conjunctiva (chemosis). "Normally this virus can also affect the cornea and decrease vision."

Using over-the-counter drugs and steroids should be avoided. Medication should never be started with steroids, since they make the virus start replicating in the cornea, says Dr. Mohan.

A patient should be started on antibiotics. Lubricant eye drops such as Refresh Tears every two hours will wash away toxins from the eye. Symptomatically, the patient may have a sore throat also. Antibiotics such as Ciprofloxacin and anti-inflammatory tablets like brufen and paracetamol (trade name Combiflam) also help when a patient reports fever.

Isolating the infected and avoiding air-conditioned rooms help. Swimming in pools with the infection is a sure way to spread it. "A new mutant is difficult to treat and takes a longer time to cure."

But then the good news: the infective stage lasts only four to five days, Dr. Mohan Rajan says.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu