TRACHOMA-AN  EYE DISEASES------------
TRACHOMA IS ONE OF THE OLDEST INFECTIOUS DISEASES KNOWN TO MANKIND. IT INVOLVES CONJUNCTIVA AND CORNEA. IT IS CAUSED BY CHLAMYDIA TRACHOMATIS--- A MICROORGANISM WHICH SPREADS THROUGH CONTACT WITHEYE DISCHARGE FROM THE INFECTED PERSON( ON TOWELS,HANDKERCHIEFS,FINGERS,ETC.) AND THROUGH TRANSMISSION BYEYE- SEEKING FLIES. AFTER YEARS OF REPEATED INFECTION, THE INSIDE OF THE EYELID MAY BE SCARRED SO SEVERELY THAT THE EYELID TURNS INWARD AND THE LASHES RUB ON THE EYEBALL, SCARRING THE CORNEA.---------- IF UNTREATED, THIS CONDITION LEADS TO THE FORMATION OF IRREVERSIBLE CORNEAL OPACITIES AND BLINDNESS--------


IT IS FOUND IN CERTAIN POCKETS OF THE STATES OF INDIA LIKE HARYANA, PUNJAB,RAJASTHAN,UTTARPRADESH,UTTARANCHAL, GUJARAT AND IN U.T. ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS ESPECIALLY IN CAR-NICOBAR.


SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS-----------

*SANDY SENSATION IN THE EYES.

*RAISEDGRANULES ON THE CONJUNCTIVA.

*USUALLY BOTH EYES ARE INVOLVED.

*INTURNED EYE LASHES.

*DISCHARGE FROM EYES.

PREVENTION-------PERSONAL HYGIENE IS THE BEST PREVENTION AGAINST TRACHOMA,KEEP ENVIRONMENT CLEAN,REMOVE ALL FLY -BREEDINGSITUATIONS IN AND AROUND THE HOME,MAINTAIN PERSONAL AND FACIAL HYGIENE,KEEP SEPARATE TOWEL,LINENS ETC.WASH FACE WITH CLEAN WATER SEVERAL TIMES IN A DAY, AVOID PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH THE PERSON WHO HAS TRACHOMA------------- TRACHOMA IS CURABLE-------

ADOPT ( SAFE) STRATEGY-----------

S---------- SURGERY OF IN TURNED EYE LASHES.

A-----------ANTIBIOTIC ,ORAL , EYE DROPS .

F----------FREQUENT FACE WASH .

E------------ENVIRONMENTAL SANITATION.


S.S.VENKATESHWAR
BATHUBASTHI
ANDAMAN
PORTBLAIR
INDIA