Keratitis is inflammation of the outerst level of the eyes, known as the cornea, which occurs, especially when contact lenses are misused, as this can promote infection by microorganisms.
Depending on the microorganisms responsible for inflammation, it is possible to divide into different types of keratitis:
- In addition.
- Keratitis can also occur from blows to the eyes or the use of irritating eye drops.
- So it is not always a sign of infection.
- So it is important to consult an ophthalmologist whenever the eyes are red and burning for more than 12 hours for the diagnosis to be made and treatment started.
- Learn about the 10 most common causes of red eyes.
Keratitis is curable and treatment should normally begin with the daily use of ophthalmic ointments or eye drops, adapted to the type of keratitis recommended by the ophthalmologist.
The main symptoms of keratitis include
Keratitis symptoms occur mainly in people who wear contact lenses and products used to clean them without proper care. Also, keratitis can occur in people with weakened immune systems, eye surgery, autoimmune diseases, or eye injuries.
It is recommended to consult an ophthalmologist as soon as possible after the appearance of symptoms, to avoid serious complications such as loss of vision for example.
Keratitis treatment should be guided by an ophthalmologist, and is usually done with the daily application of eye ointments or drops, which vary depending on the cause of the keratitis.
Therefore, in case of bacterial keratitis, an antibiotic eye ointment or eye drops can be used, while in case of herpetic or viral keratitis, the doctor may recommend the use of antiviral eye drops, such as acyclovir. In fungal keratitis, treatment is with antifungal eye drops.
In more severe cases, where keratitis does not go away with medication or is caused by Acanthamoeba, the problem can lead to severe changes in vision and therefore a cornea transplant may be necessary.
During treatment, the patient is advised to wear sunglasses when on the street, to avoid eye irritation and avoid the use of contact lenses. Find out how recovery works after a cornea transplant works.