What is it?
A serious eye condition that can cause:
- Long term eye swelling and redness.
- Long term and recurrent viral eye infections
- Ulcers (open sores) in the eye, scarring of the eye
- Lead to temporary or permanent loss of vision.
Diagnosis tests
- Slit-lamp examination (main test)
- Fluorescein dye test
- Corneal scraping & microscopy (key confirmatory test)
- check for bacteria, fungal infection, Amoeba
- Culture tests
- Check for bacteria, fungal infection (KOH test)
- Test for amoeba
- PCR tests
- Microscopy
- Corneal scraping
- Viral tests
- Eye pressure and vision tests
Cause
- Contaminated contact lenses:
- Infection:
- Bacterial: pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus)
- Fungi: Fungal keratitis is also often seen in conjunction with improper use of contact lenses. Fungal keratitis can be caused by Aspergillus, Candida, or Fusarium.
- Parasites: A particularly dangerous form of infectious keratitis is called Acanthamoeba keratitis. This type of infection is usually acquired while wearing contact lenses while swimming in a lake.
- Not disinfecting lens properly
- wearing contact lenses while swimming
- Wearing them longer than recommended
- Poor storage of lens
- Common in people who use extended-wear contacts, or wear contacts continuously, than in those who use daily wear contacts and take them out at night.
- Viruses: Viral keratitis is usually caused by the herpes simplex virus. This type progresses from a case of conjunctivitis to infectious keratitis (Herpes eye infection)
- Allergy – long term allergy
- Exposure keratitis – eye not closing properly i.e. facial palsy
- Weak immune system
- Hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy type IV (cannot feel temperature and cannot distinguish between hot and cold)
- Xeroderma Pigmentosum (De Sanctis-Cacchione syndrome)
- Eye injury
- Anything that enters in the eye, allowing bacteria, fungi parasites and virus to enter the eye
- Injury in the past
- Surgery in the past
- Recent eye surgery
- Live or exposed to warm humid climates
- Exposure to intense sunlight
Syndromes
Medication
Symptoms
- Feeling that something is in your eye?
- Blurred vision?
- Decreased vision?
- Difficulty opening one’s eyelids?
- Redness of eye?
- Sensitivity to light?
- Slight Eye pain?
- Sticky discharge causing the eyes to stick together?
- Watering eyes (not controlled) when exposed particularly in the wind or hot days (tears evaporate more quickly in these climates)?
Complications /Information to beware of/General tips:
Do not wait, phone for an ambulance if have or develop:
- Acanthamoeba Keratitis
- Knowing a ‘risky’ substance or was at risk of a substance went into is in your eye?
- Blurred vision?
- Blindness?
- Decreased vision?
- Difficulty opening one’s eyelids due to pain and irritation?
- Severe Sensitivity to light?
- Severe eye pain?
- Loss of vision?
If have the emergency symptoms above and/or
dry eye syndrome caused by improper use of wearing contact lens.
General tips
Please talk to your healthcare professional (i.e. Medical Doctor/Pharmacist/Optician) for further advice
Detailed Information
Please copy and paste any key words from the title: Keratitis in the following respective 'Medtick References and/or Sources' to find out more about the disease (this also may include diagnosis tests and generic medical treatments).
- Medical News Today
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- Medscape (Professional level)
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- EveryDay Health
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- Pharmaceutical Journal (Professional level)
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- NHS
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- WebMD
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- Cleveland Clinic
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- Drugs.com
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- National Organisation of Rare Diseases
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- Verywell Health
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- Nathnac
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- DR Axe
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- Better health - NHS
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