Corneal ulcer
The cornea is the transparent tissue that covers the entire front area of the eye and protects the iris and lens. External agentsas mushrooms y bacteria, can affect the cornea and trigger a corneal ulcer.
La corneal ulcer is an eye infection that occurs on the outside of the cornea.
This condition must be treated immediately to avoid major complications that can compromise eye health.
Corneal ulcer
The cornea is the transparent tissue that covers the entire front area of the eye and protects the iris and lens. External agentsas mushrooms y bacteria, can affect the cornea and trigger a corneal ulcer.
La corneal ulcer is an eye infection that occurs on the outside of the cornea.
This condition must be treated immediately to avoid major complications that can compromise eye health.
What is a corneal ulcer?
La corneal ulcer is a lesion that appears on the outside of the cornea as a result of an infection.
A corneal ulcer not to be confused with a keratitis. Both conditions are very similar, but they are not the same.
La superficial keratitis or puntata It is the inflammation of the cornea caused by an infection. If the keratitis is not treated correctly, can get complicated until form a corneal ulcer and, eventually, produce an eye hole.
La corneal ulcer is the infection that causes the formation of an open ulcer on the cornea.
This condition causes annoying symptoms and must be taken care of immediately to prevent the infection from progressing and forming a fibrous scar that impairs vision.
Other corneal ulcer complications are:
- Corneal perforation.
- Iris shift.
- Eye hole.
- Destruction of all tissue in the eye socket.
Causes of the ulcer in the eyes
All the most common causes of corneal ulcer are:
Bacterial infection
It is common in people who use contact lenses and are not careful with the hygiene of them.
You can also produce a bacterial infection by contact with contaminated water.
Fungal infection
This infection may also be caused by the incorrect use of contact lenses. Not take off the sleeping contact lenses and use steroid eye drops can irritate the eye and facilitate the corneal fungus penetration.
Herpes virus
The activation of herpes simplex by sun exposure or stress can derive the corneal ulcer formation.
Parasites
If the contact lenses and case are not cleaned and properly disinfected parasites can stay in them that easily penetrate the cornea.
eye trauma
Any eye injury can generate a wound to facilitate the pathogen penetration to the eye and cause a infection.
Severe dry eye syndrome
El Dry Eye It is caused by poor tear production or poor quality. Dry eye is one of the main causes of ocular irritation, consequently, dry eyes are one of the main Causes of corneal ulcer.
Problems closing the eyelids
If the eyelids have a problem closing properly, the cornea can become irritated. The corneal dryness can lead to a corneal ulcer.
Ulcers in the eye can also be caused by inward growing eyelashes, inversion of the eyelids or inflammation of them.
Main symptoms
Main eye ulcer symptoms which affect the cornea are:
- Eye pain.
- Redness in the affected eye.
- Photophobia or sensitivity to light.
- Foreign body or sand sensation inside the eye.
- Excessive tearing and constant.
- White Point or grayish in the corneal structure.
- Formation of a white cape at the bottom of the cornea.
- Blood in the conjunctiva.
Diagnosis
For diagnose a corneal ulcer It is necessary to go to the ophthalmologist immediately after perceiving the symptoms described.
The ophthalmologist must perform a complete review of the ocular structure through the slit lamp, and in this way you can observe in detail the corneal ulcer.
It is also likely that the ophthalmologist stains the cornea with fluorescein to contemplate, in more detail, tissue lesions.
In certain cases, it will be necessary to analyze a corneal tissue sample to identify the pathogen It has caused infection and to know what is the right medication to use.
Corneal ulcer stained with fluorescein
What is the best treatment for corneal ulcer?
El corneal ulcer treatment depends exclusively of the cause that caused the infection.
La bacterial corneal ulcer must be treated with topical antibiotics.
All the parasite and fungal ulcer must be taken care of with antifungals that help remove the bacilli from the cornea.
The antiviral eye drops are used to treat the corneal ulcer caused by herpes simplex virus.
It is usual for the ophthalmologist to prescribe drops that dilate the eye to relieve eye pain and avoid major complications.
In some extreme cases the treatment of corneal ulcers implies transplant the cornea through surgical intervention.
