Prevention of trachoma

There are not a lot of people who have heard of trachoma. Trachoma is a bacterial infection of the eyes. Once the bacterium that causes this condition comes in contact with the eyes, a person will get infected with trachoma. The bacterium can affect a person not only through contact with eyes, but also with eyelids, nose and even throat secretions. People should know that this infection is highly contagious. In almost all cases, both eyes are affected. At first, people will notice moderate itching and irritation of the eyes and eyelids. After that, a person will experience blurred vision and even eye pain. It is important that people treat trachoma because if it is left untreated it can lead to blindness. An interesting fact is that trachoma is the leading preventable cause of blindness all over the world. According to some studies, over 8 million people suffer from impaired vision because of this condition. Children in Africa are hit the hardest with trachoma since almost 40% of all children are affected with this condition. Early treatments have shown excellent results. Prevention

People who travel to countries where the rate of trachoma is high need to maintain proper hygiene, in order to avoid getting infected. Even people who treated trachoma with antibiotics or surgery are in danger of suffering from it again. In order to maintain proper hygiene, people need to keep the face clean. This goes especially for children. Flies can also transmit the condition and it is important to reduce the fly populations. Another thing that will help is proper waste management. Waste is the breeding ground for flies. A person can easily maintain hygiene if there is a fresh water source nearby. There is no vaccine for this condition but it can be prevented with better sanitation and living conditions.

Complications

A person who suffers from a repeated infection may experience certain complications like scarring of the inner eyelid, eyelid deformities, inward folding of the eyelid, ingrown eyelashes, corneal scarring and vision loss. Treatment and drugs

The stage and severity of the disease will determine the treatment plan. It is best if the trachoma is discovered early because then it can be treated with the use of antibiotics. However, if trachoma is no longer in the early stages, it will be more difficult to treat it and a person might need to undergo a surgery. Eyelid rotation surgery is usually performed. Corneal transplantation is also an option.