The ever-increasing cases of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and a subsequent rise in the number of patients coming with eye-related ailments has made ophthalmologists feel the need for introducing a protocol for mandatory HIV test.

Till a year ago, the Western Regional Centre of Ophthalmology at the civil hospital, on an average, received two cases of HIV positive people with eye ailments every week. The number has now shot up to five every week.

Deepak Mehta, Dean, M&J Institute and Western Regional Centre of Ophthalmology, said: “While some pre-diagnosed patients come here, we do conduct HIV tests in suspected cases. A need is being felt for making the tests mandatory for all surgeries like keratoplasty.”

While the diagnosis saves a patient from further complexities, its absence exposes doctors to a risk of contracting the virus, he added.

As the immunity level in the HIV positive people goes down significantly, they are susceptible to a number of opportunistic infections (OIs) like retinitis and others that may lead to the loss of vision. Such patients are prone to infections, as generally they are brought for treatment at a later stage.