What is trachoma?
Disease description:
Recently, my eyes have often been red, and I also feel like there's a foreign body in them. I heard it might be trachoma, and I'd like to learn more about what trachoma is.
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Wang Shuai
Trachoma, officially known as Chlamydia trachomatis conjunctivitis, is a chronic infectious conjunctivokeratitis caused by Chlamydia trachomatis. Its main characteristic is the formation of a rough, uneven appearance on the surface of the palpebral conjunctiva, resembling sand particles.
The disease course can be divided into early and late stages. In the early stage, the conjunctiva shows infiltration phenomena such as papillary and follicular hyperplasia, accompanied by the appearance of corneal pannus. In the late stage, the affected palpebral conjunctiva develops scarring, leading to entropion deformity of the eyelid, which aggravates corneal damage and may severely impair vision or even cause blindness.
In terms of treatment, trachoma is primarily managed with antibiotic medications, such as azithromycin or tetracycline derivatives, administered either locally or systemically to eliminate the infection source. Additionally, improving personal hygiene and avoiding ocular contact with infectious agents are effective preventive measures.
If severe complications have already developed, surgical treatment may be required to preserve vision.
