OPHTHALMIC EDUCATION (5) Understanding Vernal Catarrh (Spring Catarrh) What is Vernal Catarrh?Acute Water Shortage in Al-Makatera [Archives:2000/27/Health]
It is a type of allergic conjunctivitis that usually affects children before the age of ten. It is more common in hot climates and is more common among those with a family history of allergic diseases. It affects boys more than girls between the age of 5 15 years old and usually gets better by the age of 18.
What are the main symptoms?
Usually the symptoms of vernal catarrh get worse during spring and summer and in some cases continue throughout the year: –
1. Itching (which can be severe and boring)
2. Watering
3. Stickiness of lids with difficulty in opening the eyes in the morning
4. Redness and foreign body sensation
5. Ropey-like mucous discharge
6. Decrease in vision in advanced cases due to changes in the cornea.
The symptoms keep recurring every year and they get better as the patient gets older.
What is the treatment?
Cold compresses: help in decreasing the itching.
Anti-allergic drops: which decrease the itching and stabilize the cells responsible for itching.
Steroid drops: these should be used under the supervision of an eye doctor. The eye doctor is the only one who can decide the strength and length of usage of these drops.
Avoiding causes of allergy such as dust and pollen.
Are there any long-term complications?
The disease is usually chronic and can produce visual impairment from corneal changes especially keratoconus (conical cornea).
Usage of steroid drops without the supervision of an eye doctor can cause cataract and glaucoma.
Remember:
Vernal Catarrh is a benign chronic disease but can create serious visual problems
Avoid using steroid drops without the advice and the supervision of an eye doctor
If new symptoms appear while you are on treatment consult your eye doctor
Do not repeat the use of drops without the advice of your doctor.
Routine eye examinations by an eye specialist are very important. Your sight and your eyes need every care they deserve.
Dr Qusai Abdel Baki
Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon
Ibn Al-Haitham Clinic
University of Science & Technology, Sana`a
Acute Water Shortage in Al-Makatera
Article by: Mohammad Abdullah Al-Saqqaf
Photo by:Abdulhakim Al-Maktari
Al-Makatera district lies to the west of Lahj governorate. Not so long ago this district belonged to Taiz. Al-Makatera is divided into two subdivisions; Eastern and Western Makatera. These are separated by the Al-Makatera castle. Inside the castle there are plenty of arable lands, caves, slopes as well as a large dam in the middle of the castle. Below the southern castle slopes lies a very beautiful forest, discovered recently, and it is preserved by the government as a sanctuary for birds and trees that are rarely found in Yemen.
Two weeks ago I visited one of my friends in Eastern Makatera, in the Al-Damaka village. After having lunch, we heard a woman screaming loudly as if a serious disaster had occurred. As soon as we reached her, we found that my friend’s daughter was crying with a broken water container in her hand and water spilled all over the place. I asked my friend what was wrong and he answered in a sad tone: “My daughter has been standing in the queue all morning to fill this container with water. She fell down and broke the container”. I was really surprised and asked: “Don’t you have water service in your houses?”. “No,” he replied, “we were always depending on natural spas but now that there are lots of people and little rain, many spas have dried up so we are left with only one source of water.” Then he moved his finger up pointing at some trees lying at the top of the mountain and continued: “There you’ll find the answer to your questions.” We decided to climb the mountain to see where people were getting water from. After walking roughly two kilometers, we found a man digging the ground under a rock. We asked what he was doing and he replied “The drowning man catches at a straw”. Then he continued: “I found that the soil was wet under this rock, so I figured there might be a spa beneath it.” We felt really sad for this man who was trying to ‘catch at a straw’ as he said. After that we continued our walk until we found what we were looking for. There we looked up to see the source of the water. To my utter surprise, I found that there were plastic water pipes hanging down high up from the mountains. They were hundreds of meters tall so we wondered who had placed them there. Later we were told that a man was hung down from the mountain and that he placed one end of the pipes between the rocks. I was astonished. When I looked down, I found long queues of people holding different kinds of plastic containers waiting for their turn to come. It is really a pity. Each family is entitled to two full containers of water and not one drop more. Women stand there all day long under the sun far from their families to get barely enough water for one day.
The rich people in this district moved to bigger cities and settled there and the poor were left to suffer. Now, to whom should I complain? This district is a part of Yemen as much as any other district is. Therefore, I urge all Yemenis to stand beside these people and give them a helping hand to tide them over the crisis.
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