The Red eye disease

FELIX WANJALA

Conjunctivitis is the most likely cause of the red eye disease which has been reported in Tanzania and  parts of Mombasa Kenya, the disease has also been described as a feature of a more serious eye condition, in which a delay in treatment due to a missed diagnosis can result in a permanent visual loss.

The county government of Mombasa has advised residents who are suffering from red eye disease to seek treatment from health centers this was the advice from Mombasa public director of health Doctor Salma Mohamed. 

Up to now more than one thousand cases have been recorded in Mombasa, where the county government have reported that schools and madrassas are the ones encouraging the spread of the disease. 

The county government of Mombasa through health department and that of education has begun to sensitize students in schools and madrassas, on proper hygiene and frequent hand washing.

It’s reported that the disease spreading is viral and can also be spread by bacteria,

The symptoms of red eye disease include.

  1. Swelling of the eyelids

  2.redness or itchiness.

  3.discharge or tearing and

 4.light sensitivity. 

Kilifi county has also issued an alert to it’s residents, advising them to wash their and observe hygiene, one week ago the republic of Tanzania announced that more than 800 cases have been recorded in their capitals Dodoma, Dare-salam and it’s coastal region.