Keratitis

Keratitis is a condition where the front part of your eye, called the cornea, becomes inflamed. Think of the cornea as the clear window covering the colored part (iris) and the black center (pupil) of your eye. This inflammation can be caused by something like a small injury, like rubbing your eye or wearing contact lenses too long, or by germs like bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites.

If your eye feels red or you notice other signs of irritation, like pain, blurry vision, or a feeling of something being in your eye, see an eye doctor right away. Early treatment is key. Most cases of mild or moderate keratitis can be treated successfully and won't cause lasting vision problems. However, if keratitis isn't treated promptly, especially if it's a severe infection, it can lead to serious complications that could permanently harm your vision. This is why it's important to get medical attention quickly.

Your eyes can get inflamed and painful. This is called keratitis. It's important to know the signs so you can get help quickly.

Keratitis symptoms often include:

• Redness: Your eye might look red and inflamed.
• Pain: Your eye will likely hurt. The pain could be mild or severe.
• Extra tears or discharge: You might notice more tears than usual, or a different kind of fluid or discharge coming from your eye.
• Trouble opening your eye: Opening your eye could be painful or uncomfortable, making it hard to do so.
• Blurred or decreased vision: Things might look blurry or you might see less clearly.
• Sensitivity to light (photophobia): Bright light might hurt your eyes.
• Feeling like something is in your eye: You might feel like there's something irritating your eye, even if there isn't.

If you notice any of these symptoms, it's very important to see an eye doctor (ophthalmologist or optometrist) right away. Delaying treatment can lead to serious problems, such as vision loss. Early diagnosis and treatment are key to preventing long-term eye damage.

If you experience any symptoms of keratitis, see an eye doctor immediately. Keratitis is an infection or irritation of the cornea, the clear front part of your eye. Ignoring keratitis or delaying treatment can cause very serious problems, such as vision loss or even blindness. Don't delay; prompt medical care is vital.

Keratitis, an inflammation of the cornea (the clear front part of your eye), can have several causes.

Physical Injury: If something scratches or hurts your cornea, it can lead to a non-infectious type of keratitis. This injury can also create an opening for germs to enter and cause an infection.

Infections: Germs like bacteria, fungi, or parasites can cause keratitis. These germs sometimes live on contact lenses or the lens case. Putting a contaminated lens in your eye can introduce these germs, resulting in infection. Not properly cleaning your contact lenses or wearing them too long can also increase the risk of both infectious and non-infectious keratitis.

Viruses: Certain viruses, like herpes simplex and shingles (herpes zoster), can lead to keratitis.

Specific Bacteria: Some types of bacteria, including staph (Staphylococcus), strep (Streptococcus), and pseudomonas, are common causes of keratitis.

Contaminated Water: Water from lakes, rivers, oceans, or hot tubs can contain bacteria, fungi, and parasites. Swimming in contaminated water can introduce these germs into your eyes and cause keratitis. However, a healthy cornea is usually resistant to infection from these germs unless the surface of the cornea is already damaged, such as from wearing contact lenses for too long.

Things that can make you more likely to get keratitis (an eye infection):

• Contact lenses: Wearing contact lenses, especially if you sleep in them, raises your chances of getting keratitis. This is often because people wear their lenses longer than the recommended time, don't clean them properly, or wear them while swimming. The risk is even higher with extended-wear or continuous-wear lenses compared to daily-wear lenses that you remove at night. Proper lens care, including cleaning and disinfection solutions, is crucial to minimize this risk.

• Weakened immune system: If your body's defenses are low due to illness or medicine, you're more likely to develop keratitis. This is because a healthy immune system helps fight off infections. Conditions like diabetes or certain medications can weaken your immune system.

• Steroid eye drops: If you use steroid eye drops to treat an eye problem, it could increase your risk of getting an infection or make existing keratitis worse. Steroids can suppress the body's natural defenses against infection in the eye.

• Previous eye injury: If you've had an injury to your cornea (the clear front part of your eye), you're more vulnerable to keratitis. A damaged cornea might be more susceptible to infection.

Important Note: This information is for general knowledge and doesn't replace advice from a doctor or eye care professional. If you have concerns about your eye health, see a doctor.

Keratitis, an inflammation of the cornea (the clear front part of your eye), can lead to several problems.

These complications can include:

• Ongoing eye irritation and damage: Keratitis can cause the cornea to become inflamed and develop scars over time. These scars can make it difficult for your eye to heal properly and may affect your vision.

• Repeated infections: Sometimes, keratitis is caused by viruses that keep coming back. This can lead to ongoing problems in the cornea.

• Open sores: Keratitis can create open sores, or ulcers, on the cornea. These sores can be painful and may take a long time to heal. Proper treatment is crucial to prevent complications.

• Vision loss: Keratitis can cause a temporary or permanent decrease in vision. The severity of vision loss depends on the type and severity of the keratitis and how quickly it's treated. In serious cases, vision loss can be complete.

• Blindness: In the most severe cases of untreated or poorly managed keratitis, blindness can result. Early diagnosis and treatment are essential to prevent this outcome.

Proper contact lens care can help prevent an eye infection called keratitis. Here's how:

Daily Care:

• Choose daily lenses: Daily disposable contact lenses are a good choice because you throw them away each day. This reduces the chance of bacteria or viruses building up on the lens. Always remove your lenses before bed.

• Clean hands: Thoroughly wash, rinse, and dry your hands with soap and water before touching your lenses. This is super important to prevent germs from getting on your lenses.

• Follow your eye doctor's instructions: Your eye doctor knows what's best for your eyes and lenses. Always follow their specific cleaning and care instructions. Different types of lenses and eyes require different care.

• Use the right products: Only use solutions and cleaning products specifically designed for your contact lenses. Don't mix or use products not recommended by your doctor. Using the wrong products can damage your lenses or your eyes.

• Replace lenses on schedule: Your eye doctor will tell you when to replace your lenses. Following this schedule is crucial for good eye health.

• Clean your lens case regularly: Replace your contact lens case every 3 to 6 months. This helps prevent bacteria buildup.

• Fresh solution each time: Always use fresh solution to disinfect your lenses. Never just add more solution to the old solution in the case. This old solution can quickly become contaminated.

• Avoid swimming: Don't wear contact lenses when swimming in pools or lakes, as the water can contain harmful bacteria.

Preventing Viral Keratitis:

Some types of keratitis are caused by viruses, and it's harder to prevent them entirely. However, you can help reduce your risk:

• Avoid touching your eyes: If you have a cold sore, fever blister, or any other herpes-like sores around your mouth or on your skin near your eyes, avoid touching your eyes, eyelids, or the skin around your eyes. Wash your hands thoroughly before and after touching any of these areas.

• Use only prescribed eye drops: Only use eye drops that your eye doctor has prescribed. Using the wrong eye drops can cause more harm than good.

• Wash your hands: Washing your hands frequently, especially if you have a viral infection, can significantly reduce the chance of spreading viruses to your eyes.

By following these simple steps, you can greatly reduce your risk of developing keratitis and keep your eyes healthy while wearing contact lenses. If you have any concerns, always consult your eye doctor.

Diagnosing keratitis usually involves a few steps to find out what's wrong and how to treat it.

1. Eye Exam: Your eye doctor will need to look at your eyes. It might feel a little uncomfortable to keep your eyes open during the exam, but it's necessary to get a good view.

2. Penlight Exam: Your doctor will shine a small light (a penlight) into your eye. This helps them see how your pupils are reacting, how big they are, and check for any other problems. Sometimes a special stain is put on your eye. This stain, combined with the light, helps your doctor see any damage to the surface of your eye (cornea) more clearly.

3. Slit-Lamp Exam: A special tool called a slit lamp will be used to examine your eyes. This tool uses a very bright light and magnifies the area to show the doctor exactly what's happening with your keratitis. The doctor can see the extent of the keratitis and if it's affecting other parts of your eye.

4. Lab Tests: Your eye doctor might take a small sample of your tears or cells from your cornea. This sample will be sent to a lab for testing. The lab results will help figure out what's causing the keratitis and create a treatment plan.

Treating Keratitis: Different Approaches Based on the Cause

Keratitis is an inflammation of the cornea, the clear front part of your eye. The treatment for keratitis depends a lot on whether it's caused by an infection or not, and how severe the symptoms are.

Non-Infectious Keratitis

If you have mild keratitis, like a small scratch on your cornea, just using artificial tears might be enough to ease the discomfort. These drops help lubricate and soothe the irritated area. But if the pain and tearing are significant, your eye doctor might prescribe stronger topical eye medications. These are medicines you put directly into your eye.

Infectious Keratitis

Infectious keratitis, as the name suggests, is caused by germs. The treatment will depend on the type of germ.

• Bacterial Keratitis: The most common treatment is antibiotic eye drops. The frequency of these drops can vary. For example, if it's a mild infection, you might use the drops a few times a day. For a more serious infection, you might need to use them every 30 minutes, even at night. Sometimes, your doctor might also prescribe oral antibiotics (pills) to help clear the infection more completely.

• Fungal Keratitis: Fungal infections usually need antifungal eye drops, plus possibly oral antifungal medicine.

• Viral Keratitis: If a virus is causing the keratitis, your doctor may prescribe antiviral eye drops and/or oral antiviral medicine. Some viral infections may only need supportive care, like using artificial tears.

• Acanthamoeba Keratitis: This type of infection, caused by a tiny parasite, can be very challenging to treat. Antiparasitic eye drops are typically used, but these infections can sometimes be resistant to medication. Treatment might need to last for several months. In severe cases, a cornea transplant might be necessary.

When to See a Doctor

If you experience any eye pain, redness, or changes in vision, it's crucial to see an eye care professional right away. Early diagnosis and treatment are essential to prevent serious complications. They will determine the cause and recommend the best course of action. If the keratitis doesn't improve with treatment, or if it causes lasting damage to your cornea, affecting your vision, a cornea transplant might be an option.