Child Eye Infection

    Written by: Muahammad Arif Rahimi

Children between 3-13 years are more affecting eye infections. AEPO’s writer/producer has talked to some parents and a physician about this disease.

Nadia, a resident of Nangarhar province says: “I am suffering from eye infection. My both eyes are red and when I wake up in the morning, my eyes have inflammation.”

Abdul Bari, a resident of Paktia province says: “I and my brother are suffering from the eye infection. Our eyes have irritation and itching. Our eyelids stuck together and we could not see the way.”

Doctor Gul Agha Nazari, the eyes specialist in one of the private hospitals, Kabul city says: “eye irritation; redness of the eyes; tears and weakness of eyesight are the common symptoms of eye infection in children. If a child’s eyelids are stuck together for a long time and not treated, the patient might lose his/her eyesight.”

What do the people think about the causes of child eye infection?

Nadia says: “I always face eye infection in the summer due to more dust.”

Salgai, a resident of Nangarhar province says: “I was washing the hands and face of my child with contaminated water and they faced eye infection.”

Doctor Nazari confirms what the people say and he adds: “If a child touches his/her eyes with dirty hands; use contaminated water for her/his face washing; polluted air and smoke also cause eyes infection. Sometime this infection could be transferred from a sick person to a healthy one.”

How do people treat eye infection at Homes?

Sayeeda, a resident of Tagab district, Kapisa province says: “when I face eye infection, my mother put some leaves of boiled tea on my eyelids.”

Salgai says: “Some people put cucumber and raw potato on the infected eye but I mixed salt with lukewarm water and then I washed my child’s eyes.”

Doctor Nazari says: “putting potato and cucumber cause to increase eye infection; salted water only helps to come tears and discharges the pus from the eyes and this might cause some other problems. To help the affected child, clean her/his eyes with lukewarm water with a soft cloth and if the infection is chronic or acute, the patient must be treated by an eye specialist.”