- Main symptoms
- How to confirm the diagnosis
- Possible causes
- How the treatment is done
- Possible complications
Keratoconjunctivitis is an inflammation of the eye that affects the conjunctiva and the cornea, causing symptoms such as redness of the eyes, sensitivity to light and the feeling of sand in the eye.
This type of inflammation is more common due to infection by bacteria or viruses, especially adenovirus, but it can also happen due to dryness of the eye, being, in these cases, called dry keratoconjunctivitis.
The treatment varies according to the cause and, therefore, the ideal is to consult an ophthalmologist when changes in the eye appear, not only to confirm the diagnosis, but also to start the most appropriate treatment, which may include antibiotic eye drops or moisturizing eye drops..
Main symptoms
Although there are 2 main types of keratoconjunctivitis, in most cases the symptoms are quite similar, including:
- Redness in the eye; Sensation of dust or sand in the eye; Intense itching and burning in the eye; Sensation of pressure behind the eye; Sensitivity to sunlight; Presence of thick and viscous padding.
In cases of keratoconjunctivitis due to viruses or bacteria, it is also common for the presence of thick, viscous swelling.
Symptoms usually worsen when working on the computer, when doing some activity in a windy environment, or when visiting places with a lot of smoke or dust.
How to confirm the diagnosis
The diagnosis is usually made by the ophthalmologist by assessing the symptoms, however, the doctor may also use other tests to try to identify the correct cause of keratoconjunctivitis, especially if treatment has already started, but the symptoms do not improve.
Possible causes
Most of the time, keratoconjunctivitis develops due to infection by a virus or bacteria. Some of the most common include:
- Adenovirus type 8, 19 or 37; P. aeruginosa; N. gonorrhoeae; Herpes simplex.
The most common infection is with some type of adenovirus, but it can also happen with any of the other organisms. However, the other organisms cause more serious infections, which can evolve very quickly and end up causing sequelae like blindness. So, whenever there is a suspicion of an infection in the eye it is very important to go quickly to the ophthalmologist, to start treatment quickly.
In rarer cases, keratoconjunctivitis can also arise from dryness of the eye, when there is a physiological change that causes the eye to produce fewer tears. In such cases, the inflammation is called dry keratoconjunctivitis.
How the treatment is done
Treatment for keratoconjunctivitis is usually initiated with the use of moisturizing eye drops, such as Lacrima Plus, Lacril or Dunason, and antihistamine or corticosteroid eye drops, such as Decadron, which allow to greatly relieve redness and all symptoms associated with inflammation of the eye.
However, if the keratoconjunctivitis is being caused by a bacterium, the ophthalmologist can also advise the use of antibiotic eye drops, to fight the infection, in addition to relieving the symptoms with the other eye drops.
Possible complications
When treatment is not started quickly, inflammation of the eye can cause complications such as ulceration, corneal scarring, retinal detachment, increased predisposition to cataracts and loss of vision within 6 months.
