KATHMANDU: Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology (TIO) has asked all to immediately consult a doctor for the seasonal hyperacute panuveitis (SHAPU), since the eye ailment could lead to blindness. The hospital is recording an increased number of SHAPU cases recently.

Dr Anu Manandhar, uveitis specialist at TIO, said this kind of infection, which can turn an eye blind within 48 hours, is found only in Nepal. The infection is caused by white tussock moths that are seen around a light at night.

Talking to The Himalayan Times, Manandhar said an infected eye becomes red -- as in conjunctivitis -- but lacks eye wax. Patients experience difficulty even to open it to light while white spots appear in the black area. The ailment is reported every two years between September and December and affects only one eye. She said it was seen early this year.

The cause of the disease is yet to be confirmed, though. "Most of the cases have shown a history of moth contact or their presence in the environment. We are planning to test the samples in a foreign lab soon," said the specialist.

We recorded 26 cases of SHAPU, mostly in Bhaktapur, Kavre, Sindhupalchowk and Dolakha in mid-August. Most of the patients are below 10 years of age.

Manandhar suggested that children should be kept off moths. Making the room moth-free and not hanging a towel near an electric lamp are also recommended.

Ten-year-old Nirmala Khatri of Okhaldhunga said she got up with an infected eye one morning. "My eyes started reddening and I found it increasingly hard to see. The walls of my house were infested with white tussock moths," she recounted.