Cases of conjunctivitis, other eye infection on rise in Delhi: Doctors

Cases of conjunctivitis and other eye infection are on the rise in Delhi, with many doctors cautioning that it is “highly contagious” and proper hygiene behaviour needs to be maintained to check its spread. Doctors at both government and private hospitals said they have been receiving cases largely from the younger population in the city.

It is not sight-threatening but needs professional advice, they said.

Dr Aarti Nangia, senior consultant, ophthalmology at Fortis Hospital, Vasant Kunj here, said there has been an “increase” in cases of eye infections and conjunctivitis reported in Delhi lately.
“It is either an isolated infection of the eyes or along with an upper respiratory tract infection like cough or cold. Because the virus is the same which is infecting the eyes and throat.

“It is a seasonal change and viral infections are superimposed with bacterial infections and also along with allergies,” she said.

Dr Suresh Kumar, Medical Director of Delhi government-run LNJP Hospital: “We have seen a marginal increase in such cases with patients coming with complaints of burning sensation in eyes, along with fever. “These are symptoms of viral infection. These patients are in the younger cohort.” When asked if these patients were showing any Covid-like symptoms, he replied in the negative.

Nangia, however, claimed the new eye infection with red eyes can be called the “‘new COVID’ alike epidemic” because it is a “viral infection (eye flu)”

The increase in the spread of the infection is because it is “highly contagious” through contact or touch, of secretion, hence hygiene is to be maintained, she said.

Doctors advised frequent hand washing with soap and water to decrease the spread of infection.

It is a “self-limiting infection” and each individual immunity will have a role to play in the course of the disease, Nangia said.

The management is through antibiotic eye drops, eye ointments, topical decongestants, lubricants and some oral anti-allergic. Along with cold compression of the eye through ice packs, the doctor said.

Symptoms are watery discharge in the eyes, redness, congestion, photophobia, hemorrhages in the superficial layer of the eye.

To stop the spread of the infection, touching of eyes should be the least, contact of the same with others should be avoided, and isolation of school children for 3-5 days in case of infection after which if the treatment is started they can be non-infective.

Self-medications and of the counter steroids-composition medication should be avoided, Nangia said.

According to Dr Parul Sharma, director of Max Eye Care, Max Hospital, Gurugram, the outbreak of viral conjunctivitis this time is much higher than the previous years.

“Though monsoons is a perfect time for the viruses and bacteria to multiply which is because of heat humidity and water logging, this time the frequency of conjunctivitis is unprecedented, almost double the times of previous years simply because the virus is more contagious.”

She said they are seeing about 10-15 cases of conjunctivitis in an OPD of 100 patients every day for various eye diseases. A lot of mild conjunctivitis patients are taking online video consultations and they may not come to OPD so the actual numbers would be higher than what is coming to the OPD, she said.

Someone with conjunctivitis touches any surface, it gets contaminated and when the other person touches it and then touches eyes, he or she is also then affected, the doctor said.

Cases of conjunctivitis and other eye infection are also being reported from various schools in Delhi.

“There are few cases of eye infection in our school. But mainly, there are cases of typhoid, stomach upset and conjunctivitis. Students with eye infection have been missing school for 2-3 days, but for typhoid and stomach infection, students are taking medical leave of at least a week.

“Cases of typhoid are more prominent amongst Class 11 students. But no cases of dengue this time,” said Sudha Acharya, Principal, ITL Public School.

She said several precautionary measures are being taken, and class 11 and 12 students are doing awareness campaigns for younger students.

Dr Mahipal Singh Sachdev, chairman and managing director, Center for Sight here, said there has been a “significant rise” in the footfall of patients in OPDs across its centres and there has been an “exponential rise” among the pediatric group with complaints of “itchy and red eye”.

“Overall (across our centres) if we compare to other times, there has been a rise of at least 20-25 per cent,” he said.

Dr Saurabh Varshney, senior consultant ophthalmology, Primus Super Speciality Hospital in Delhi, said the hospital is “seeing almost 3-4 patients in a day and more than 7-8 patients in the past one week”.

The increase in these cases has caught the attention of health authorities and raised concerns among the public. Conjunctivitis or “pink eye” is a highly contagious condition that causes redness, itching, and discharge in the eyes.

The monsoon’s humid and damp conditions provide an ideal breeding ground for the viruses or bacteria responsible for these infections to spread rapidly, he said.

Cases of conjunctivitis and skin allergy are mostly being reported from relief camps housing people affected by the flooding in parts of Delhi, city Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said on July 17.