RAWALPINDI, Oct 12: An eye infection that causes severe swelling, tears and photo phobia has spread in the city and its surrounding areas as the three allied hospitals have been receiving 20 to 25 patients everyday for the last two weeks.

The disease is called Epidemic Keratoconjunctivitis (EKC) in medical term. It is highly contagious and has the tendency to occur in epidemics. EKC usually occurs in both eyes but starts with one eye. The eye turns red with moderate pain and tears followed by photo phobia. Eyes swell and there are bleeding spots in the affected eye.

Dr Syed Imtiaz Ali, the head of the Department of Ophthalmology, Rawalpindi General Hospital (RGH), said a number of people with complaints of EKC had been visiting the hospital everyday for the last two weeks. A similar situation existed at Holy Family Hospital (HFH) and District Headquarters Hospital, he said.

Majority of the patients have said that all their family members had been affected.

The disease spreads by air, respiration and contamination of tools. Direct contact with eye secretions is the major mode of transmission. EKC epidemics tend to occur in closed institutions such as schools, hospitals, camps and nursing homes etc.

Medical practitioners have also been the cause of the spread of diseases and are also at the risk of suffering from it. The incubation period of the virus is four to 10 days. It is called an opportunistic infection and everyone is considered susceptible to the EKC but only those with low immunity catch the disease. It persists for one to three weeks.

There is no specific treatment of the infection except precaution. Medical care includes artificial tears, cold compresses and cycloplegic agents for severe photophobia.

The precautions include separation of affected person, usage of separate towel, pillow and bed etc. The patient should wash his hands frequently as long as the eye is red. Eye care professionals need to be extremely cautious and should disinfect their tools after examining the patient.

In some cases if care is not taken, this not so serious eye infection can damage the cornea of the patient and lead to complication in vision.