Tilak on forehead can cause chemical conjunctivitis

Retired police officer Bharat Dhavre, 60, failed to understand why his eyes turned watery and red for the past three months. After ignoring the symptoms and unsuccessfully trying some eye drops, he decided to consult a doctor. The results were shocking. 

Dhavre suffered from chemical conjunctivitis and the doctor said it was because of the saffron-coloured vermillion (tilak) he applied on his forehead after performing puja.

His is not an isolated case in the city. The JJ hospital’s ophthalmology department sees more than thousand patients with chemical conjunctivitis every year.

“I am very scared because my left eye is already damaged in an accident. Now with just one eye left, I have decided to take every precaution. I will apply small quantity of sandalwood tilak instead of vermillion,” said Dhavre who applied vermillion on his forehead for the past 25 years.

The Mulund resident said for the past three months, his eyes turned red and he experienced severe itching. “I used local eye drops, but to no avail. I then consulted an ophthalmologist at JJ hospital and was shocked to know it was chemical conjunctivitis.

Doctors said it was because of my habit of applying tilak on the forehead,” he said. Dhavare is now on medication and uses antibiotic eye drops.

Doctors said there is lack of awareness among people about the dangers of applying too much vermillion. “Some people apply it from the nose to the end of the forehead. However, the saffron-coloured vermillion can cause damage to the eyes, especially to those who apply it regularly,” said Dr Ragini Parekh, head of ophthalmology department at JJ hospital.

She said the vermillion at times contains toxic elements and those enter the eyes when one washes the face. It can lead to problems such as chemical conjunctivitis. “We see more women patients than men with this problem,” Dr Parekh said.

Dr TP Lahane, senior ophthalmologist and dean of Sir JJ group of hospitals, said the problem was common among rural patients earlier, but now they see an increasing number of patients from the city. “Treatment is available, but people should be aware of the dangers. Some of the vermillion available in the market contains high level of lead. It can lead to serious problems if it enters the eyes. At times, it is so thick that the colour stays on the person’s forehead even after washing the face several times. This is common during festivals,” he said.  

“Not only chemical conjunctivitis, but people also suffer from blepharitis or chronic inflammation of the eyelids. Most people use local drops to treat the problem, but it can damage the eyes. Chemists may give steroids which are harmful,” said Dr Pritam Samant, consultant ophthalmologist at Hinduja hospital.