Al-Shifa Eye Trust cautions public against eye infections

Rawalpindi: Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital on Wednesday cautioned against increased incidents of eye infections which are common during the season of monsoon and asked masses to observe extra care.

Monsoon brings high humidity which is the leading cause of many eye infections; it could trigger an attack of conjunctivitis, unwanted corneal ulcers and other serious problems, it added.

Parents and teachers should keep an eye on vision problems in children during the next three months for timely intervention, said chief of medical services at Al- Shifa Eye Trust Dr Wajid Ali Khan.

He said that if someone experiences any sort of redness, swelling or burning he should avoid self-medication and instead immediately consult an ophthalmologist. People enjoy the monsoon season but they are not aware that it brings with it an army of infections but most of the people consult doctors when it is too late, he added.

Dr Wajid Ali Khan said that corneal ulcers are of the most serious infections during the monsoon which if wrongly medicated can lead to blindness; the symptoms include extreme pain, pus discharge and blurred vision.

Eye stye is also common during this season. Its symptoms are excruciating pain, pus discharge, and redness over eyelids. Its basic treatment is warm and cold compresses, eye drops and other medication but if the size of the lump increases, the patient needs to visit an ophthalmologist, he said.

He informed that people should avoid sharing towels and similar personal items because infections mostly spread through hands, clothes and other commonly touched items. If someone has developed an eye problem, the family members should wash hands after administering drops as to avoid the spread of infection. In case of red eye, one should avoid over-the-counter eye drops and seek expert advice and people must avoid using contact lens during the season.