Conjunctivitis flares up with arrival of monsoon showers

The first monsoon showers have brought with them the first of the season’s infectious ailments — viral conjunctivitis. The outdoor patient departments (OPDs) of city hospitals are seeing a surge in conjunctivitis cases, apart from a spike in patients with fever and respiratory problems.

Dr Tanu Singhal, from Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, has been receiving eight to ten new cases every day. “The patients span a range of age groups, from children to adults.”.

Says Dr Pranay Kapadia, an ophthalmologist, “This is the ideal time for conjunctivitis-causing bacteria to spread. Everyone needs to be very careful with hygiene. The spread of this infection can be checked if people avoid touching their eyes frequently.” He also advises against self-medication and buying eye drops from pharmacy stores without first consulting eye specialists.