General Information About Keratitis
Disease Details and Frequently Asked Questions
It is the condition where the transparent watch-glass-like tissue (cornea) that covers the front surface of the eye, focuses light, and protects against external factors becomes inflamed and develops an ulcer or edema.
Contact lenses that are forgotten in the eye for a long time or worn dirty are the most common bacterial cause. Scratching the eye, transmission of the Herpes (cold sore) virus to the eye, or a plant branch/leaf hitting the eye (fungal infection) can cause keratitis.
Unbearable pain and a stinging sensation in the eye (as if there is sand in the eye), intense redness, constant tearing, inability to look at light (photophobia), blurred vision, and the feeling of being unable to open the eyelids.
Yes. The cornea is a very sensitive and transparent tissue. If the inflammation (ulcer) is left untreated, it can perforate the cornea and cause the loss of the eye, or even if it heals, it can leave a matte/white spot (scar) on the cornea, causing permanent vision loss.
The ophthalmologist puts a special fluorescent drop (fluorescein) into the eye using a microscope. Under blue light, the wound (ulcer/inflammation) on the cornea immediately shines and reveals itself.
Keratitis is a medical emergency. Depending on the source of the inflammation in the eye, strong antibiotic, antiviral, or antifungal eye drops that need to be applied every hour are prescribed. The use of contact lenses is immediately stopped. In severe cases, injections into the eye or a corneal transplant may be required.
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