Jammu, Sept 1: With thousands of people developing sore eyes across Jammu region, the highly contagious, viral conjunctivitis (locally known as eye flu), has sent panic waves among the people, particularly in remote areas where the disease is spreading like an epidemic.
 On an average 20 to 30 patients suffering from conjunctivitis are visiting the Government Medical College and Hospital, here for treatment.
 Official sources said the conjunctivitis had gripped Poonch and its adjoining areas as over 800 patients affected with this disease had been reported so far. Sources added out of the total number of patients, 15 percent were children.
 Sources said the disease had also shown its presence in border district of Rajouri where hundreds of people suffering with eye sore were visiting the hospital.
 According to an eye specialist in Poonch hospital, 80 per cent of patients coming to the hospital were affected with conjunctivitis and it was spreading to Mendhar, Surankote and Mandi.
 The people suffering from the disease have developed sore eyes with many finding their eyes shut, as if there is something monstrous inside their eyes which must be flushed out.
 Eye specialists said the infection mostly spreads in April or May, but this time the epidemic had occurred too late during the year. “It may be difficult to predict the duration. The only way to prevent it is by maintaining the best hygienic standards and ensure the patients remain in isolation during the first three days of the infection,” they advised.
 “It is important that children with conjunctivitis do not go to school till they are cured. So is the case with office-goers. The family members of an infected person should quarantine him, till there are no traces of infection. He should not share towels and handkerchiefs with the other members,” they advised.
 “This month, the ophthalmology department in GMCH, has recorded at least 40 per cent of their patients suffering with conjunctivitis. Among the first few who contracted the infection were students and office-goers,” sources said, adding over thousand patients so far had been treated in the hospital.
 Dr Mengi, Head of Department of Ophthalmology in GMCH, said the influx of patients suffering from eye flu has declined as compared to last few days. “On an average 20 to 25 patients suffering from conjunctivitis are visiting the hospital on routine basis. The influx of patients has shown somewhat decline in past two days.”
 He however, said some patients treat the eye complexities at their own level by using eye drops and other antibiotics, adding people tend to seek medical help only when severe complications develop.
 Conjunctivitis is an inflammation of a thin transparent membrane covering the eyeball called conjunctiva. The symptoms of conjunctivitis are redness, watering and mild discharge. It is a viral infection but when it doubles up as a bacterial infection, it can affect the cornea.'
 The patient is advised to stay in isolation during that time. Doctors say the infection spreads when a patient, after touching the eye, touches another object which may be touched by a healthy person.
 Meanwhile, the eye flue has created panic waves among the policemen, among whom the infection is spreading quickly, in border districts of Rajouri and Poonch.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 1 Sep 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 1 Sep 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 2 Sep 2010 00:00:00 IST