WARTAKOTALIVE.COM, JAKARTA — Even though it attacks the skin, but leprosy can make sufferers experience ocular complications lagophthalmos paralysis or the inability of the eyes to close tightly. If not treated immediately, the risk of blindness is threatening.
Head of Trauma Center sub Specialist in Plastic and Eye Reconstruction Division JEC Eye Hospitals and Clinics, as well as a teaching staff at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia-RSCM, Dr. dr. Yunia Irawati, Sp.M(K) said, leprosy is an infectious disease with a high frequency of ocular complications.
Eye disorders in people with leprosy, including paralytic lagophthalmos, require early detection and appropriate treatment to prevent visual disturbances that can lead to blindness.
“Paralytic lagophthalmos is an inability” eyelid to close completely. Lagophthalmos paralysis that is not treated immediately causes goblet cell damage in the conjunctiva (thin layer that protects the white area of the eye / sclera). If the conjunctival surface is continuously exposed or exposed, there is an instability of the tear film that triggers dry eyes. This condition raises the risk of continuous infection and can lead to blindness,” Yunia explained during the JEC virtual press conference, Monday (9/8/2021).
Yunia added that eye disorders that occur in leprosy patients usually occur during the treatment period. Sometimes during the treatment period, patients experience a more severe inflammatory reaction, so that in the eyelidit can appear spots
“If something like that arises, usually we (ophthalmologists) do not immediately perform surgery at that time, we are more conservative to suppress the inflammation first. If the inflammation can be handled, of course the ophthalmologist will not perform surgery, usually within a few months there will be improvement. However, if on the way it will threaten eye cornea abnormalities due to lagophthalmus paralysis, of course we do surgery earlier. Don’t wait too long for the reaction before we treat it,” said Yunia.
Surgery if the patient’s condition is safe
According to Yunia, eye surgery on leprosy patients can be performed if the leprosy patient’s condition is declared safe by the dermatologist who treats him, even though the leprosy patient is still under treatment.
“Usually we work with dermatologists to find out whether the patient is safe or not for surgery for cases of leprosy patients who are still being treated,” he said.
In the case of leprosy patients, Yunia continued, the most important thing is that if the patient has received treatment for leprosy and has been declared cured of his leprosy disorder, it does not mean that the examination stops there. Leprosy-causing bacteria that have damaged the peripheral nerves (edges) in the eyelid can cause Lagophthalmus so it is important to watch out for.
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