These are the symptoms I recognize from a Chlamydia infection in the eye | Chlamydia infection of the eye

These are the symptoms I recognize from a Chlamydia infection in the eye

Depending on the subgroup of chlamydiae causing the infection, a chlamydia infection of the eye manifests itself through different symptoms. Common to all subgroups is conjunctivitis, which will be discussed below. In chlamydia, which is much more common in Europe, the infection also causes small raised areas on the inside of the upper and lower eyelid, which are often reddened on the outside or interspersed with small veins.

In medical terms, these abnormalities are called “conjunctival follicles”, which are caused by the activation and accumulation of immune cells at this site. Chlamydia, on the other hand, which is less common in Europe but more common in tropical regions, causes more serious inflammation on the inner sides of the eyelids, i.e. on the mucous membranes. If the infection persists for a long time, scarring of the mucous membranes occurs.

This results in an “adhesion” of tissues, which explains a restriction of the eye’s movement. Due to the involvement of the cornea of the eye, the scarring and adhesion of the mucous membrane can spread to the eyeball, which in extreme cases can lead to a loss of function of the eye (more on this in the section “Blindness“). These articles may also be of interest to you:

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Conjunctivitis is the most common symptom that triggers a Chlamydia infection.

This leads to a reddened and watery eye. The affected persons usually feel an itching or burning sensation in the eye and can hardly tolerate brightness. A foreign body sensation is also often described, i.e. the feeling of “having something in the eye”. Conjunctivitis can be caused by many different types of pathogens, and indeed viruses are a much more common cause of conjunctivitis. It is therefore important to identify the cause in each case and to choose the appropriate medication.

Therapy

Chlamydia is a bacterium that is found almost exclusively inside body cells. To treat a Chlamydia infection, antibiotics are therefore necessary, which have proven to be particularly effective against these “intracellular” bacteria. – .

In order to prevent a further, progressive inflammation and the resulting scarring, additional anti-inflammatory drugs are often used. For this purpose, glucocorticoids (such as cortisone) have proved particularly effective in ophthalmology. This combination of antibiotics and glucocorticoids is often used for eye infections, but is very rarely used in other medical fields.

Course of disease

An infection with Chlamydia starts – comparable to other infectious diseases – with an incubation period. This is the time it takes for a pathogen to multiply in the body to the point where symptoms can be triggered. This time can last one or more weeks.

In the case of an infection of the eye, the period of acute infection then begins, during which the symptoms described above occur. If the infection is not treated, chronicity or scarring with loss of function of the affected eye may occur. On the other hand, the healing options under antibiotic therapy are excellent: the infection can be completely eliminated by using these drugs. However, existing scarring can be irreversible, i.e. permanent.