A sudden spike in cases of conjunctivitis, also known as the ‘pink eye’ disease, in several parts of India has caused distress among many people who have been grappling with this contagious eye flu.
According to Dr. JS Titiyal, Chief RP Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, AIIMS in the national capital is reporting about 100 cases per day.
“We are getting at least 100 cases of conjunctivitis per day. There is usually a seasonal increase in conjunctivitis cases, which coincides with the flu season. The conjunctivitis cases are mostly caused by a virus,” said Dr. Titiyal.
Conjunctivitis is a highly contagious eye infection caused by various viruses. Common symptoms include redness, itching, excessive tearing, and a gritty feeling in the eye. It can spread easily through direct or indirect contact with an infected person’s eye secretions, contaminated objects, or respiratory droplets.
One of the private eye care hospitals in Delhi has reported 1032 cases of Conjunctivitis in Delhi NCR and 1521 cases across India.
Let’s understand more about this from noted eye surgeon Dr. Sameer Kaushal, MD, Ophthalmology.
Every monsoon, it occurs, and the majority of the time it is a viral infection that progresses slowly. Recovery times can change depending on a person’s immune system and the virus that is in circulation,” remarked Dr. Kaushal.
Precautions
General hygiene measures should be followed with regular handwashing after coming from outside.
We adhered to handwashing meticulously during the Covid outbreak, which is why, despite it pouring, there was no epidemic that year.
Avoid touching your eyes, swimming, and being in close proximity to others. To prevent spreading to other children, kids may skip a few days of school.
Major issues
The biggest problem is overmedication, people take steroids from unauthorised sources. Steroids can help in countering symptoms, but that can be counterproductive and can increase the severity. Self-medication should be strictly avoided.