Eye Flu Cases Rise In Delhi-NCR: How To Prevent Conjunctivitis In Children? Expert Explains

Eye Flu Cases Rise In India: With the incessant rain in the national capital and several other areas of the country for the past few weeks and the rising water level of the Yamuna River, there have been numerous cases of conjunctivitis being reported in Delhi-NCR.

The Cleveland Clinic defines conjunctivitis as a common eye infection that causes inflammation of the tissues lining the eyelid (conjunctiva). It’s caused by allergens, irritants, bacteria and viruses, such as coronaviruses that cause the common cold or COVID-19.

Dr Shailja Tibrewal, Senior Consultant, Department of Pediatric Ophthalmology, Dr Shroff Charity Eye Hospital, Daryaganj exclusively told Jagran English about the causes of the rising cases of conjunctivitis in children and how one can prevent it. She said that the majority of the cases are viral in aetiology, they are present with sudden onset of redness, watering, foreign body sensation and discharge in one eye and can progress with time to the other eye.

Some common symptoms of conjunctivitis include redness in the white of your eye or inner eyelid, increased tearing, thick yellow discharge that crusts over your eyelashes, especially after sleep, green or white discharge from your eye, gritty feeling in one or both eyes, itchy eyes (especially in pink eye caused by allergies), burning eyes (especially in pink eye caused by chemicals and irritants), blurred vision, increased sensitivity to light and swollen eyelids.

According to Dr Tibrewal, eye flu in children can even develop fever and body aches along with other eye symptoms. It spreads through direct contact with the infected tears, eye discharge and also through fomites.

How Can One Prevent Eye Flu?

Dr Tibrewal advises that parents should avoid taking their children to crowded places and encourage their children to wash or sanitise their hands regularly. Children should be advised to avoid eye rubbing and stay away from any other person having red eyes.

How To Prevent Eye Flu After Catching It?

Dr Tibrewal suggested some preventive measures to prevent the spreading of eye flu once you have caught it. The preventive measures include:

1. If your child is suffering from eye flu, do not send them to school for four to five days. This will help in preventing the eye flu from spreading to other people.

2. Parents should teach their children good eye hygiene practices like avoiding rubbing their eyes, using an eye wipe or cotton to wipe the discharge, disposing of this contaminated cotton or wipe in a dust bin and washing hands regularly in between.

3. If infected with eye flu, children should also be instructed not to touch the other eye after touching the affected eye.

4. In order to prevent the flu, make your children wear goggles or eyeglasses for protection and make them stay at home away from other people. Also, it is important to seek advice from an eye doctor who can prescribe medications to provide comfort to the eyes while the eye flu resolves and also for the associated fever and body aches.

(Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis or treatment.)