Page 34 - NAME OF CONDITION: REFRACTIVE ERRORS

NAME OF CONDITION : CONJUNCTIVITIS

I. WHEN TO SUSPECT/ RECOGNIZE?

a) Introduction:

Conjunctivitis is a highly contagious disease which occurs world wide both
sporadically and epidemically. Most varieties of conjunctivitis are self limited, but
some may progress and cause severe ocular and extra ocular complication. Even in

self limited conditions, it causes a significant period of ocular morbidity and loss of
work place efficiency. It affects all ages and all social strata. Approximately 2% of all
primary case visit and 1% of all emergency room visit are related to conjunctivitis.
Appropriate prevention strategies are required to prevent this condition to spread
and affect large number of people.

b) Case definition:

Conjunctivitis is a general term that refers to a diverse group of disorder,
characterized by inflammation of the conjunctiva, as typified by congestion, pain,
discharge, lid edema and gritty sensation of the eye.

INCIDENCE OF THE CONDITION IN OUR COUNTRY

Conjunctivitis is considered extremely common in developing countries. Although
there are no reliable figures that document the incidence or prevalence of
conjunctivitis, this condition has been cited as one of the most frequent causes of

patient self-referral. Adenoviral conjunctivitis is the most common cause of epidemic
conjunctivitis accounting for 70% . It is highly seasonal, often following monsoons. It
often assumes epidemic proportions in certain years. The morbidity is directly linked
to the virulence of the infecting virus. Rarely, chlamydia is the causative organism in
2% of cases of acute conjunctivitis and is the most common cause of chronic
follicular conjunctivitis. Ophthalmia neonatorum, which denotes purulent
conjunctivitis caused by gonococcus in infants, is a relatively rare phenomenon
nowadays.

II. DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS

Conjunctivitis is a general term that refers to a diverse group of disorder, classified as
infectious and non infectious affecting the conjunctiva primarily. The cause of

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