Corneal Ulcers – Meaning, Causes, Symptoms, Results
Cornea is the transparent circular part in front of the eye ball. Corneal ulcer means an open sore on outer layer of cornea. Corneal ulcer is also called Bacterial keratitis, Acanthamoeba keratitis, fungal keratitis Fungal keratitis and Herpes simplex keratitis.
Causes of corneal ulcers:
Bacterial, viral or fungal infection is the main cause of corneal ulcer.
Other causes that lead to corneal ulcer are foreign bodies in the eye, abrasions, dryness in eyes, inflammatory disorders.
Contact lenses if worn overnight may also cause corneal ulcer.
Herpes simplex keratitis is a viral infection caused due to stress or too much exposure to sunlight.
Fungal keraritis is caused due to injury in cornea by plant material.
Acanthamoeba keratitis is common in those people who use contact lenses and clean them with homemade cleansing solutions.
Symptoms of corneal ulcers:
Following are the symptoms of corneal ulcer:
Redness in eye
Pain in eye
Vision problem
Eye burning and itching with discharge
Watery eyes
White patch on cornea
Sensitivity to light.
Results of Corneal ulcers:
Corneal ulcers if not treated well in time may lead to loss of vision, loss of eye or scar on the cornea.
Tests for corneal ulcers:
To identify the corneal ulcer, doctor may suggest the following tests:
Tear test
Refraction test
Keratometry
Fluorescein stain of the cornea
Examination of scrapings from the ulcer
Visual acuity
Treatment of Corneal ulcers
Treatment of corneal ulcers depends upon the cause of it. There should not be any delay once a corneal ulcer or infection is identified. In most of the cases treatment starts with antibiotics to prevent further infection. The prescription includes anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral eye drops depending upon the cause of the ulcer.
If the condition gets severe corneal transplantation requires to be done.
Corneal ulcer if not treated well in time may lead to spread of infection to that extent that one may face permanent visual problems.
It is said prevention is better than cure. Hence, try to avoid the causes of corneal ulcer or infection. Keep your eyes clean and be very cautious while using contact lenses.
