Ophthalmia – a description of the disease

Ophthalmia (the word comes from the Greek bl?nnos – mucus and rh?? – current, hereinafter – “O.”) – an acute purulent inflammation of the mucous membrane (conjunctiva), eye, caused by gonococcus.

There are 2 forms of ophthalmia: newborns and adults. Infection in most cases, neonatal ophthalmia occurs during the passage of the fetal head through the birth canal of the mother with gonorrhea. O. appears on 2 – 3rd day of life and is characterized by a very strong first edema of both eyelids after 2 – 3 days begins copious pus. In severe cases, the process may be involved in the cornea, formed ulcer healing scar and leave a thorn. In some cases, the disease leads to blindness.

Sometimes occurs in newborns like illness Infections caused by a virus. It develops, in contrast to O., not before the 5th day of life and flows more slowly and less severely, the cornea in the process is never involved.

Infection ophthalmia adults occurs when entering the eye^[ru] with gonococcal urogenital hands, household items by patients suffering from gonorrhea. O. in adults is more severe than in infants, usually affected only one eye.

Treatment: frequent eye wash with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, antibiotics.

Prevention: the fight against gonorrhea urogenital tract. Newborn immediately after birth for ever let in both eyes, one drop of a 2% solution of silver nitrate or penicillin for adults – good personal hygiene. When a unilateral process is very important to prevent other eye disease ^[ru], for which the healthy ^[ru] eye pressure garment to wear a watch glass.

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