Hot days trigger surge in pink eye cases; doctors caution against self-medication

BENGALURU: Hot weather in Bengaluru has begun causing a peculiar phenomenon: Eyes turning pink. Confirming an alarming surge in pink eye cases, doctors said that what was earlier seen more among children and the elderly is now affecting people across age groups.
Doctors TOI spoke with said currently they are seeing at least seven cases every day. Six to seven months ago, they’d come across as many cases in a week. Prolonged computer usage could be exacerbating the spread of the virus, they say.
Pink eyes, according to doctors, come with swollen eyelids, irritation, itchiness, watering and white or yellow discharge.
Dr Shalini Shetty, consultant ophthalmologist at Apollo Hospitals, told TOI, “Pink eyes is basically epidemic Keratoconjunctivitis. It has always been seasonal, but this time it has continued through the year. Due to its ability to spread easily, more people are getting affected. Over the last six months, I have been seeing five to seven patients every day.”
“We usually see more children and elderly people among the affected, but this time people in the age group of 20-40 are also being affected due to increased computer time,” she added.
‘Self-treatment dangerous’
“A few people treat themselves at home which is highly dangerous. People apply castor oil thinking the condition can be cured by massaging the eyes, but it doesn’t help,” said Dr Shalini Shetty.
Dr Jyoti Shetty, consultant ophthalmologist, Manipal Hospitals, said over the last six months, there has been an increase in the incidence of pink eyes. “It is a viral infection but sometimes it is superimposed with bacterial infection, increasing the infection and causing it to spread easily. Change in environment and travelling are the primary reasons for this pink/red eye spreading. But people of all age groups are affected since it’s viral,” she said.
According to Dr Jyoti Shetty, people with upper respiratory tract infections are also showing pink eye symptoms.
Dr Navya C, consultant ophthalmologist at Athreya Hospitals told TOI that she is seeing more than 15 pink eye cases in the three hospitals that she visits daily. “Most of them just take antibiotics in the initial stages and later come to us once it spreads. It starts with one eye first and takes a day to spread to the other.”