Allergic conjunctivitis on rise due to hot season, pollution in Delhi

Allergies have hit a high ever since the dust storm in the national Capital added to the already polluted air. In the hot summer season, while extreme heat already causes discomfort to the people, conjunctivitis has spread massively among children and adults in Delhi.

The communicable disease is an outcome of dust particles entering eyes which leads to irritation. The ophthalmologists in the city have seen a rise in the number of patients with conjunctivitis posing a major problem. Conjunctivitis is of seasonal and perennial nature. The seasonal kind is cured with the use of eye drops while the more severe kind can lead to complete loss of vision.

Dr Rohit Saxena, Professor of Ophthalmology, AIIMS, talking about the allergy, said,"The number of patients coming with Allergic Conjunctivitis has significantly increased recently. Dust storm, high level of pollution and dry weather are important factors which have led to an increase in the number of patients coming with redness of eyes, stinging and burning. Children are more prone to allergic conjunctivitis during this season, and precaution should be taken in order to protect eyes, especially during the summer season when the weather is hot combined with high level of pollution. People should avoid long hours in direct sun, use protective eyewear, drink lots of water, wash eyes and consult a doctor if symptoms persist."

Dr Ikeda Lal, ophthalmologist at Delhi Eye Centre and Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, said, "The treatment is mostly medical but in case of severe allergies like VKC and atopic keratoconjunctivitis, eyedrops may need to be used for a prolonged period. Most badly affected by this allergy are children who keep on rubbing their eyes. Constant eye rubbing can lead to the development of keratoconus. Therefore, the habit of eye rubbing needs to be replaced with the habit of instilling eye drops.