Keratitis
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| ICD-10 | H16 |
|---|---|
| ICD-9 | 370 |
Keratitis is a condition in which the eye's cornea is inflamed.
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[edit] Types
Superficial keratitis involves the superficial layers of the cornea. After healing, this form of keratitis does not generally leave a scar.
Deep keratitis involves deeper layers of the cornea. Upon healing, a scar remains that impairs vision if on or near the visual axis.
[edit] Causes
Keratitis has a number of causes.
[edit] Pathogens
- Amoebic keratitis. Amoebic infection of the cornea is the most serious corneal infection, usually affecting soft contact lens wearers.
- Bacterial keratitis. Bacterial infection of the cornea can follow from an injury or from wearing contact lenses.
- Fungal keratitis (cf. Fusarium, causing recent incidences of keratitis through the possible vector of Bausch & Lomb ReNu with MoistureLoc contact lens solution)
- Viral keratitis
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- Herpes simplex keratitis. Viral infection of the cornea is often caused by the herpes simplex virus which frequently leaves what is called a 'dendritic ulcer'.
- Herpes zoster keratitis
[edit] Other
- Exposure keratitis
- Photokeratitis - keratitis due to intense ultraviolet radiation exposure (e.g. snow blindness or welder's arc eye.)
- Ulcerative keratitis
- Contact lens acute red eye (CLARE) - a non-ulcerative sterile keratitis associated with colonization of Gram-negative bacteria on contact lenses
- Severe allergic response may lead to corneal inflammation and ulceration (i.e. vernal keratoconjunctivitis).[1]
[edit] Symptoms
The symptoms are often very similar to those of conjunctivitis, an inflammation of the conjunctiva. The eye turns very red and there may be sensitivity to light, and the eye may feel uncomfortable. In the later stages of more severe cases, there can be strong pain, loss of vision/blurriness, and pus may form.
[edit] Diagnosis
Effective diagnosis is important in detecting this condition and subsequent treatment as keratitis is sometimes mistaken for an allergic conjunctivitis.
[edit] Treatment
Treatment depends on the cause of the keratitis.
Infectious keratitis generally requires antibacterial, antifungal, or antiviral therapy is to treat the infection. This treatment can involve prescription eye drops, pills, or even intravenous therapy. Over the counter eye drops are typically not helpful in treating infections. In addition, contact lens wearers are typically advised to discontinue contact lens wear and discarding contaminated contact lenses and contact lens cases. Antibacterial solutions include Quixin (levofloxacin), Zymar (gatifloxacin), Vigamox (moxifloxacin), Ocuflox(ofloxacin - available generically), and Maxitrol(neomycin+polymyxin+dexamethasone - available generically), among others.
Some infections may scar the cornea to limit vision. Others may result in perforation of the cornea, endophthalmitis (an infection inside the eye), or even loss of the eye. With proper medical attention, infections can usually be successfully treated without long-term visual loss.
[edit] References
[edit] See also
- List of eye diseases and disorders
- List of systemic diseases with ocular manifestations
- Thygeson's superficial punctate keratopathy
