Injury to the eye or infection may lead to corneal ulceration. Delay in corneal ulcers treatment, unhygienic conditions and poor diet may cause corneal opacity and blindness.
Cornea is a transparent, avascular structure in front and centre of the eye. Any Injury to he eye or infection may lead to corneal ulceration. Delay in corneal ulcers treatment, unhygienic conditions and poor diet may cause corneal opacity and blindness. Being the most anterior part of eye ball, the cornea is exposed and hence prone to infection. Cornea is protected from minor infection by the normal defence mechanisms present in tears. If due to any reason quality or quantity of tears becomes poor, chances of corneal ulcer will be more.
Corneal Ulcers Causes:
Any kind of injury to cornea.
Corneal infection- bacterial, viral or fungal allergic most of the times corneal infection arises from exogenous source like infected foreign body, infected vegetative material and water borne(from swimming pool) or air borne infections. Because cornea is an avascular structure endogenous infections are of rare occurrence.
Corneal Ulcers Symptoms:
1. Severe pain in eye
2. Redness
3. Continuous watering from the eye
4. Intolerance to bright light
5. Discharge from eye especially in bacterial corneal ulcer.
6. Blurred vision due to corneal haze.
7. Swollen eye
Corneal Ulcers Prevention:
1. Incase of any infection, clean your eyes 2-3 times a day with clean water.
2. Immediately start broad spectrum antibiotic eye drop 3 – 4 times a day.
3. Hot fomentation gives comfort, reduces pain.
4. A balanced diet rich in vitamins helps in early healing.
5. Never use steroid eye drop as it causes corneal opacity and blindness.
6. Consult an eye specialist.
Corneal ulcer is an acute emergency and may lead to dreaded complication like corneal perforation, corneal opacity and blindness.
In India 30 million people are blind due to corneal infection. Once corneal opacity develops it requires corneal grafting. For corneal grafting there is requirement of cornea. In our country there because of lack of awareness of cornea donation.
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