Madras Eye - A View

The main reason to write this content on conjunctivitis (Madras eye) is because of many people's ignorance. They are thinking that it will be passed from person – to – person by seeing there eyes but it's really not true. Conjunctivitis is most commonly caused by viral infection, but bacterial infections, allergies, other irritants and dryness are also common etiologies for its occurrence. Both bacterial and viral infections are contagious. Commonly, conjunctival infections are passed from person-to-person, but can also spread through contaminated objects or water. Signs of Conjunctivitis 1. Watering 2. Irritation 3. Swelling 4. Redness of the eye How to manage if you are affected with Conjunctivitis Conjunctivitis resolves in 65% of cases without treatment, within 2 – 5 days. The prescribing of antibiotics to most cases is not necessary. For the allergic type, cool water poured over the face with the head inclined downward constricts capillaries, and artificial tears sometimes relieve discomfort in mild cases. In more severe cases, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications and antihistamines may be prescribed. Persistent allergic conjunctivitis may also require topical steroid drops. Bacterial conjunctivitis usually resolves without treatment. Antibiotics, eye drops, or ointment are thus only needed if no improvement is observed after 3 days. In patients receiving no antibiotics recovery was in 4.8 days, immediate antibiotics 3.3 days, delayed antibiotics 3.9 days. No serious effects were noted either with or without treatment. Although there is no specific treatment for viral conjunctivitis, symptomatic relief may be achieved with cold compresses and artificial tears. People are often advised to avoid touching their eyes or sharing towels and washcloths. Conjunctivitis due to chemicals is treated via irrigation with Ringer's lactate or saline solution. Chemical injuries (particularly alkali burns) are medical emergencies as they can lead to severe scarring, and interocular damage.