MUMBAI: Along with the rising curve of dengue and malaria, there is also an increase in the number of cases of ‘pink eye’ or conjunctivitis in the city in the past couple of weeks.
On Saturday, the civic public health department warned about the outbreak of eye infection cases, saying that one of its eye hospitals had around 300 patients in the past fortnight.
“Conjunctivitis is quite rampant and contagious this time around,” said eye specialist Dr Girija Suresh from Fortis Hospital, Mulund, adding that the extended monsoons could be a reason.
A BMC health update on Saturday said that around 250 to 300 patients with eye infection were treated in the civic-run Murli Deora Municipal Eye Hospital, Kamathipura, in the past 15 days. In Surya Eye Institute in Mulund, an average of 20 patients come with the complaint every day, said Dr Vinod Goel.
BMC executive health officer Dr Mangala Gomare said, “Keeping this matter in mind, citizens should take appropriate precautions and should immediately seek advice and medication from eye specialists if they have any eye irritation.”
Murali Deora Municipal Eye Hospital’s chief medical officer Dr Varsha Rokade said the conjunctivitis outbreak seems to be viral in nature this year.
“There is increased humidity in the air during monsoon, making the environment a fertile breeding ground for infectious diseases. Therefore, every monsoon, eye infections spread along with other infectious diseases,” she said.
However, on the bright side, the condition is quite self-limiting and disappears within a week. “Patients respond well to the usual medication and no one seems to have any residual effect,” said Dr Goel.
Dr Suresh said that some patients had come in with severe pain and very red eyes. “This could be due to severe inflammation leading to pain and bleeding under the conjunctiva,” she said.
However, doctors in the city said that although ‘pink eyes’ are contagious, the disease does not spread through the air.
“It spreads through fomites or touching of surfaces or clothes carrying the infection-causing microorganism,” she added.
On Saturday, the civic public health department warned about the outbreak of eye infection cases, saying that one of its eye hospitals had around 300 patients in the past fortnight.
“Conjunctivitis is quite rampant and contagious this time around,” said eye specialist Dr Girija Suresh from Fortis Hospital, Mulund, adding that the extended monsoons could be a reason.
A BMC health update on Saturday said that around 250 to 300 patients with eye infection were treated in the civic-run Murli Deora Municipal Eye Hospital, Kamathipura, in the past 15 days. In Surya Eye Institute in Mulund, an average of 20 patients come with the complaint every day, said Dr Vinod Goel.
BMC executive health officer Dr Mangala Gomare said, “Keeping this matter in mind, citizens should take appropriate precautions and should immediately seek advice and medication from eye specialists if they have any eye irritation.”
Murali Deora Municipal Eye Hospital’s chief medical officer Dr Varsha Rokade said the conjunctivitis outbreak seems to be viral in nature this year.
“There is increased humidity in the air during monsoon, making the environment a fertile breeding ground for infectious diseases. Therefore, every monsoon, eye infections spread along with other infectious diseases,” she said.
However, on the bright side, the condition is quite self-limiting and disappears within a week. “Patients respond well to the usual medication and no one seems to have any residual effect,” said Dr Goel.
Dr Suresh said that some patients had come in with severe pain and very red eyes. “This could be due to severe inflammation leading to pain and bleeding under the conjunctiva,” she said.
However, doctors in the city said that although ‘pink eyes’ are contagious, the disease does not spread through the air.
“It spreads through fomites or touching of surfaces or clothes carrying the infection-causing microorganism,” she added.
