The Health Department will conduct screening camps in all schools covering approximately 12 lakh students, Minister Ma. Subramanian said on Tuesday.
The camp will commence from September 16 and end on September 25. Eye doctors from government, private hospitals besides non-governmental organisations will participate in the camp, he said after an inspection of the Regional Ophthalmic Institute Government Ophthalmic Hospital in Egmore.
He urged people to take care of their eyes as more and more cases of conjunctivitis were being noticed in the State. The condition, colloquially known as “Madras eye”, emerges during the southwest monsoon. Conjunctivitis had been diagnosed in several western and north-eastern States, Mr. Subramanian said.
Each year, the number of infections had been rising. This year so far, less than 100 cases had been diagnosed. There is a separate ward to treat the infection and five persons are being treated. He advised people to take precautions against the infection by maintaining hygiene, washing eyes frequently and resting them.
