How to treat trachoma
Disease description:
Last night, I felt a slight pain in my eye while falling asleep. When I woke up this morning and looked in the mirror, I noticed that the white part of my eye was very red, and there was significant discomfort at the corner of my eye. It looks quite like trachoma. I'd like to ask, what is the best way to treat trachoma?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Wang Shuai
1. General treatment: Patients should maintain good eye hygiene and avoid rubbing their eyes with hands to prevent worsening of infection. Eye drops or normal saline can be used to rinse the eyes and relieve symptoms. Wearing sunglasses when going outdoors helps shield the eyes from direct sunlight and reduces discomfort. Personal hygiene items such as towels should be used separately to prevent spreading the infection to others.
2. Medication therapy: For patients with mild trachoma, topical antibiotics such as rifampicin or fluoroquinolone eye drops may be administered 3–6 times daily. At night, tetracycline ointment or erythromycin ointment can be applied. During acute exacerbations or in cases of severe disease, adults may take oral antibiotics such as sulfonamides, tetracycline, or erythromycin for 7–10 days per course, typically requiring 2–4 courses of treatment.
3. Surgical treatment: In severe trachoma cases with complications such as entropion or trichiasis, surgical intervention—such as trachomatous follicle expression—is necessary.
