Trachoma

Trachoma General Information

Medical problems that affect the eyes are very delicate and need immediate specialized care, because many of them, left untreated, cause blindness. Patients should be very well informed about the particular aspects of their disease, about the available treatment options and ways to prevent it. “Rough eye” or Trachoma it is an infectious medical condition of the eye that leads finally to blindness. More than 80 million people from all around suffer from this type of infection, but only nearly 10 million are visually impaired as a consequence of Trachoma. This type of disease is caused by a bacterium called Chlamydia trachomatis and it is very easily spread by direct contact with nose, eye or throat secretions of an infected person.

The use of personal objects, for example towels or washcloths that have also been in contact with these secretions can help the bacteria to spread. Although the children are more prone to develop this type of medical condition, the blinding effects are felt only in the adulthood. A patient should be very well informed about all the aspects of this eye disorder, because if he or she left it untreated, the repeated infections lead to a another disorder called entropin (a permanent form of blindness that is very painful because the eyelids turn inward and the result is the cornea scratched by the eyelashes). Trachoma is more common in areas where the hygiene is poor and it is usually linked to crowding, lack of water, absence of toilets etc.

Trachoma Symptoms

Knowing all the signs and symptoms of a certain disease may help you and your health care provider discover it in time and treat it properly so that you avoid further complicated issues. This is why we offer you, in this second part of our presentation, a list of the most common signs and symptoms. The early stage of Trachoma is characterized by milder symptoms, for example pus or mucus contained in the discharge of eyes, irritation of eyes and sensations of itching. Small bumps filled with lymphocytes (a type of white blood cells) can be noticed on the inner surface of the upper conjunctiva. With time, if this eye disorder is not discovered, it progresses to more severe stages that include photophobia (sensitivity to marked light), pain of the eyes, blurred vision, dizziness and headache. The positive aspect of Trachoma is that it progresses very slowly and a young child will usually complain only of mild symptoms; the more painful ones may not appear until the adulthood. Trachoma can be very easily prevented and if you discover it early, the expectations are really high. Further complications that may appear include: throat, nose and ear problems, swelling of the lymph nodes found in front of the ears and swollen eyelids.

Trachoma Treatment

In this last chapter we will reveal you several common methods of treating Trachoma. Because this disorder of the eye can lead very easily to permanent blindness, it is advisable to contact your health care provider as soon as you or your child starts to complain of any of the signs and symptoms that we have listed in the previous chapter. As we mentioned before, Trachoma progresses very slowly and your child may have really high chances to fully recover if his/her disease is discovered in time. In the first stages of development, this type of infection is usually asymptomatic and to diagnose it the health care provider must do a clinical examination or several tests of samples from your eyes. If the results of these tests indicate that your child suffers from this disorder, the doctor will try to determine the stage of the condition and then will proceed with applying the adequate treatment option.

In the early stages, the first choice is a therapy based on drugs. The most common drugs are the antibiotics that alone may be enough to kill the bacteria. Two drugs are consistently prescribed: Zithromax (Azithromycin) given orally (by mouth) and a Tetracycline eye ointment. The first drug gives better results than Tetracycline but it is more expensive and in poor regions the health care provider uses it more rarely and only in patients who can afford it. If Trachoma is in a later stage of development, when deformities of the eyelids occur, surgery is necessary. The procedure is called bilamellar tarsal rotation or more commonly known as eyelid rotation surgery and consists in an incision made in the scarred lid followed by rotation of the eyelashes away from the cornea. With the help of this type of treatment option, health care providers can easily improve the eyesight and reduce the progression of corneal scarring. This type of surgery has a good success rate for a long period of time and it takes only 15 minutes or less.

In the last stages, when the cornea turns clouded so that the vision is impaired, a corneal transplant may be a solution. This method offers hope of a better and improved vision, but the results are not always the expected ones. Although there is no available vaccine, Trachoma can be easily prevented by practicing a good hygiene, especially in endemic areas. This means permanent face washing, proper waste management, controlling flies (that represent a major source of transmission) and improving the access to water (having a water source can keep people away from many more infectious disorders). Trachoma is very dangerous and it is better for all patients to follow strictly the health care provider’s indications. Try not to overdose and remember always to take the pills as the prescription or the doctor recommends. If you develop certain side effects to any of the ingredients of the drugs immediately tell your doctor and demand reexamination.