Clinical presentations in presumed epidemic viral conjunctivitis: An observational study from a tertiary center in Eastern India

Abstract

Purpose: The present study aimed to investigate the current patterns of clinical presentation in the recent onset epidemic viral conjunctivitis in Eastern India. Methods: This hospital-based observational study was conducted from June 2023 to July 2023. All consecutive patients with presumed viral conjunctivitis were enrolled in the study. We performed a comprehensive ophthalmic evaluation to assess various signs and symptoms in every case. Data were statistically analyzed to study recent clinical patterns of viral conjunctivitis. Results: This study enrolled 2,640 patients with presumed viral conjunctivitis. The majority of the affected patients were males (59%). The mean age of the patients was 29.68 ± 15.84 years (range 6 months to 82 years). The highest number of cases (62.3%) was observed in patients aged more than 18 years. Most patients (62.7%) presented with symptoms in one eye, while 37.3% experienced symptoms in both eyes. Foreign body sensation and redness were the most common clinical presentations in 2,490 (94.38%) and 2,433 (92.1%) cases, respectively. Subconjunctival hemorrhage was seen in 47% of cases. Corneal involvement was noted in 43 (1.62%) cases. Resolution of symptoms was reported in most patients (84.4%) within a week. Conclusion: The current epidemic of viral conjunctivitis in Eastern India is self-limiting in nature with minimal corneal involvement. Early diagnosis, isolation of affected individuals, appropriate treatment, and adherence to personal hygiene practices are essential to curb the mass spread of conjunctivitis.

Keywords

• conjunctivitis
• epidemic
• hemorrhagic
• keratoconjunctivitis
• viral