Bengaluru: Cases of Madras Eye on rise in city, doctors say care is the best medicine

In the past two weeks, there has been a spurt in the cases of Madras Eye (also known as Conjunctivitis/Pink Eye) in Bengaluru.

Around 20 per cent of the outpatients are visiting various eye hospitals in the city like Minto Hospital, Narayana Netralaya and Dr Agarwal's Eye Hospital among others with Madras Eye condition.

Of the 1000 patients screened for Madras Eye at various hospitals, around 100 patients are positive.

It is a condition where there is inflammation or redness and swelling of the conjunctiva covering white portion of the eye.

Speaking to NewsFirst Prime, Dr Rohit Shetty of Narayana Netralaya said, “Madras Eye condition is a challenge to doctors as the virus causing this condition changes rapidly and spreads aggressively from one person to another if precautions are not taken to control the spread of this condition. On a daily basis, we are seeing around 100 cases of Madras Eye at our hospital, of them around 30 patients are kids.”

"Patients who have Madras Eye must never touch or rub their infected eye with bare hands, if touched, must sanitize or wash their hands with water. Other persons who come in contact with Madras Eye patients must exercise extreme caution from touching their eye or touching the patient after the patient has touched his eyes," he added.

Another doctor Vidyadevi Mahadevappa from Minto Hospital says, “Madras Eye condition stays in patients as long as 10 days and patients can use lubricating drops that reduce the virus count in the infected eye. Never use over-the-counter medications without consulting a doctor. Patients have to regularly wash the infected eye in running tap water to control the spread of the virus causing Madras Eye.”

Patients infected with Madras Eye should strictly avoid coming in contact with other people. They must isolate themselves from going into public and children suffering from Madras Eye must avoid going to school till they are cured of the disease.