What do Doctors call this Condition - Keratitis

What is this Condition?

Inflammation of the cornea (the transparent covering of the eye) may be acute or chronic and superficial or deep. Superficial inflammation is fairly common and may develop at any age. The prognosis is good with treatment. Without treatment, recurrent inflammation of the cornea may lead to blindness.

What Causes it?

Inflammation of the cornea usually results from infection by herpes simplex virus type 1 (known as dendritic inflammation of the cornea). It may also result from exposure caused by the person’s inability to close the eyelids, or from congenital syphilis (known as interstitial inflammation of the cornea). Less commonly, it stems from bacterial or fungal infections.

What are its Symptoms?

Usually occurring in one eye, inflammation of the cornea produces cloudy areas in the corneal tissue, mild irritation, tearing, and sensitivity to light. An infection in the center of the cornea may produce blurred vision. When inflammation results from exposure, it usually affects the lower portion of the cornea.

How is it Diagnosed?

The doctor will perform a slit-lamp exam to confirm inflammation of the cornea. To determine if the inflammation results from herpes virus infection, the doctor will stain the eye with a fluorescein-impregnated strip, which produces one or more small, dendritic (branchlike) lesions. Touching the cornea with cotton reveals reduced corneal sensation.

Vision testing may show slightly decreased acuity. The person’s history may reveal a recent infection of the upper respiratory tract accompanied by cold sores.

How is it Treated?

Acute inflammation caused by the herpes virus is treated with Herplex eyedrops and ointment or Vira-A Ophthalmic ointment; recurrent herpetic inflammations are treated with Viroptic solution. A broad-spectrum antibiotic may prevent secondary bacterial infection. Chronic dendritic inflammation may respond more quickly to Vira-A. Long-term topical therapy may be necessary. (Corticosteroid therapy should not be used in dendritic inflammation or any other viral or fungal disease of the cornea.) Treatment of fungal inflammation consists of Natacyn.

Inflammation due to exposure requires application of moisturizing ointment to the exposed cornea and a plastic bubble eye shield or eye patch. Treatment of severe corneal scarring may include a cornea transplant.