Kakinada: Over 225 children suffered from “photo toxicity”, an eye condition, when they were exposed to bright focus lights during a “Dance Baby” contest in a school at Kattamuru village in Peddapuram mandal of East Godavari district.
Photo toxicity is caused when there are sudden bright lights that strike the eyes due to which vision is reduced and there is dullness for some time. The condition lasts for around 24 hours and among those who have weak eye-sight, it can result in long-term damage.
While a team of five doctors was rushed to the village, the school declared two-day holiday. Thirty children had participated in the programme, which was attended by around 1,000 people.
Dr Manoj Chandra Mathur, senior ophthalmologist at Medivision Brij Netralaya Eye Clinic, said, “Rest is very important for the children and lubricants need to be given for two days.
As the children were exposed to sudden glare, it resulted in this problem.” Dr Mathur said the technician using the instrument must not have monitored the focus of the lights properly.
Ophthalmologist Dr R. Mallikarjuna Raju, who visited the village, said that the effect of the harsh lights was intense as the programme went on for hours.
District medical and health officer in-charge Dr V. Venkata Ratnam said that it was not very serious and rest would help the children recover.
