Keratitis is the inflammation of the outermost part of the eyes, known as the cornea, which arises, especially when incorrectly used contact lenses, as this can favor infection by microorganisms.
There are several types of keratitis, especially infectious:
- Herpetic keratitis: it is a common type of keratitis caused by viruses, which arises in cases where one has herpes or herpes zoster; Bacterial or fungal keratitis: they are caused by bacteria or fungi that may be present in contact lenses or in contaminated lake water, for example; Acanthamoeba keratitis: it is a serious infection caused by a parasite that can develop on contact lenses, especially those that are used more than a day.
In addition, keratitis can also happen due to blows to the eye or the use of irritating eye drops, so it is not always a sign of infection. Thus, it is important to consult an ophthalmologist whenever the eyes are red and burning for more than 12 hours so that the diagnosis can be made and treatment started. Know the 10 most common causes of redness in the eyes.
Keratitis is curable and, normally, treatment should be started with the daily use of ophthalmic ointments or eye drops, adapted to the type of keratitis according to the ophthalmologist's recommendation.
Main symptoms
The main symptoms of keratitis include:
- Redness in the eye; Severe pain or burning in the eye; Excessive tear production; Difficulty opening the eyes; Blurred vision or worsening of vision; Hypersensitivity to light
Symptoms of keratitis arise mainly in people who wear contact lenses and products used to clean them without proper care. In addition, keratitis can happen in people with weakened immune systems, who have undergone eye surgery, autoimmune diseases or who have suffered an eye injury.
It is recommended to consult the ophthalmologist as soon as possible after the onset of symptoms, to avoid serious complications such as loss of vision, for example.
How the treatment is done
Treatment for keratitis must be guided by an ophthalmologist and is usually done with the daily application of ophthalmic ointments or eye drops, which vary according to the cause of keratitis.
Thus, in the case of bacterial keratitis, an antibiotic ophthalmic ointment or eye drops may be used while in the case of herpetic or viral keratitis, the doctor may recommend the use of antiviral eye drops, such as Acyclovir. In fungal keratitis, the treatment is done with antifungal eye drops.
In the most severe cases, in which keratitis does not disappear with the use of medicines or is caused by Acanthamoeba , the problem can cause serious changes in vision and, therefore, it may be necessary to have corneal transplant surgery.
During treatment it is advised that the patient wear sunglasses when out on the street, to avoid eye irritation, and avoid wearing contact lenses. Find out how it is done and how is the recovery from corneal transplantation.
