Have red eyes? Beware, it could be eye flu

A few weeks ago, a girl walked into my OPD. I examined her and asked her why she was wearing makeup when her eyes were watering and red. “Oh! I thought, and the chemist also said, it was just allergies. But my dad insisted I go see an eye doc,” I silently thanked her father and gave her the bad news it was conjunctivitis of infectious origin.

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Infectious conjunctivitis is an infection of the outermost thin layer of the eye called the conjunctiva. It stems from three main sources — viral, bacterial and fungal pathogens.

There is a seasonal trend of a sudden surge in infectious conjunctivitis cases during the summer and rainy seasons in Delhi and other parts of India.

Viral conjunctivitis, popularly called ‘Eye Flu’ is highly contagious and accounts for the majority of the outbreaks.

The most common culprits are adenovirus in India. Enterovirus, coxsackie virus, herpes zoster, and varicella zoster virus may also be responsible sometimes.

Infectious conjunctivitis or eye flu is preventable. Awareness of these preventive measures and symptoms could help control its spread.

Recognise the symptoms