Tamil Nadu sees 4,500 cases of Madras Eye disease every day: 1.5 lakh people affected

The disease is known as “Madras Eye” as the adenovirus, which causes the disease, was first identified in Madras in 1918.

From children to adults, people in all groups are affected by the disease in the state.

According to the health minister, apart from Chennai, people in three districts — Madurai, Salem, and Dharmapuri — are majorly affected by the disease.

“After the onset of monsoon, the state witnessed more than 1.5 lakh cases of the Madras Eye disease. The Regional Institute of Ophthalmology in Egmore, which used to receive 10 patients in the outpatient ward suffering from the disease in the first week of November, is now treating at least 80-90 cases per day,” Ma Subramanian told reporters.

இன்று சென்னை எழும்பூர் கண் மருத்துவமனையில் “MADRAS EYE” நோய்க்கான ஆய்வு மேற்கொள்ளப்பட்டது. #Masubramanian #TNHealthminister #MadrasEye #EyeInfection #inspection pic.twitter.com/Bj2WELcKZI

— Subramanian.Ma (@Subramanian_ma) November 21, 2022

Ways to break infection cycle

The health minister also said that the disease was highly contagious.

“I am requesting people that if any of their family members are infected, try to self-quarantine for four days as it spreads to other people very quickly,” he said.

“In public, maintain social distancing. People should avoid buying medicine for the disease by themselves. Go see a doctor first and then take medication,” added Subramanian.

He also said that various centres had been set up across the state to control the spread of the disease.

There were 10 government-run medical centres for eye diseases in Chennai, he said.

“Hospitals have been asked to put up signboards with awareness messages [about the disease]. We are expecting the disease will not be anymore amongst the people after the second week of December,” said Subramanian.

Related: Glaucoma, the ‘sneak thief of sight’, must be caught early

Symptoms of ‘Madras Eye’ disease

The symptoms of the disease include:

• Redness in the white of the eye or inner eyelid
• More tears than usual
• Itchy eyes
• Burning eyes
• Swollen conjunctiva
• Thick yellow discharge that crusts over the eyelashes, especially after sleep. It can make your eyelids stick shut when you wake up
• Green or white discharge from the eye
• Blurred vision
• More sensitive to light
• Swollen lymph nodes

What causes the disease?

• Bacteria
• Viruses, including the kind that causes the common cold
• Fungi, amoebas, and parasites
• Irritants such as shampoos, dirt, smoke, and pool chlorine
• Eye drops that cause reactions
• An allergic reaction to things like pollen, dust, or smoke. Or it could be due to a special type of allergy that affects some people who wear contact lenses.

When to see a doctor?

When there are serious eye conditions that can cause eye redness, they may cause eye pain, a feeling that something is stuck in your eye (foreign body sensation), blurred vision and light sensitivity.

If you experience these symptoms, seek urgent care.

People who wear contact lenses need to stop wearing their contacts as soon as pink-eye symptoms begin.

If your symptoms don’t start to get better within 12-24 hours, make an appointment with your eye doctor to make sure you don’t have a more serious eye infection related to contact lens use.

Prevention

• Don’t touch your eyes with your hands.
• Wash your hands often.
• Use a clean towel and washcloth daily.
• Don’t share towels or washcloths.
• Change your pillowcases often.
• Throw away your eye cosmetics, such as mascara.
• Don’t share eye cosmetics or personal eyecare items.