Incidence of kerato conjunctivo uveitis caused by traditional eye medications in a teaching hospital of Andhra Pradesh

Abstract

Traditional eye medications (TEM) usage is still a common practice as most patients in India consult a traditional healer. Poverty, socio-cultural beliefs, poor health-seeking behavior, and lack of access to health facilities are reasons for the persistence of this practice. [1],[2] Fifty patients with kerato conjunctivo uveitis who used TEM, especially some leaf extract for 3 days, visited ophthalmology clinic, Narayana Medical College Hospital during June 2012. Ocular complications included purulent conjunctivitis in 25 subjects, keratitis in 15 subjects, corneal ulcer in 1 subject, and iridocyclitis in 9 subjects respectively. All patients' disease condition was reversed by the local application of steroid drops, topical antibiotics, anti-allergic drops, and artificial tears. The use of TEM is harmful, further leads to blindness. Proper health education to the public can reduce the prevalence of preventable blindness.