‘Madras eye’ cases spawn infections

“Many cases of viral conjunctivitis have been reported and are on the rise in the state, but it is not an epidemic. There is no specific medication for the condition which heals by itself in about a week. Secondary conditions like stickiness of the eyes is treated with antibiotics. Some get white spots on their cornea if the infection lasts for more than a week,” says prof. V. Sahasranamam, Superintendent of the Regional Institute of Ophthalmology, Thiruvananthapuram.

Conjunctivitis is the inflammation of conjunctiva, the thin and transparent membrane that covers the outer surface of the eyes. The infection is commonly characterized by reddening of the eyes, itching, watery eyes, and swelling of the eyelids. It is initially caused by viruses that spread through the eye discharge of an infected person either through direct contact or through his or her exhaled breath.

“The infection spreads very fast like chicken pox and can occur repetitively with different strains of virus that appear seasonally,” says Dr. K. Mahadevan, Vice President, Kerala Society of Opthalmic Surgeons explaining that as the eye discharge of the patient also oozes out through the nose, the virus enters the surrounding air as vapour, causing extensive spread of the disease.

In its secondary stage, the infection is characterized by bacterial puss formation which can be cured using antibiotics. “The treatment of the first stage of viral inflammation is not very effective and it is left to heal by itself. However, the secondary stage is treated with anti-bacterial drugs,” he adds.

The viruses that cause the disease are found both in wet and dry atmospheres as new strains break out for unknown reasons.