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Be careful if you use contact lenses and wake up one morning with eye discharge, redness, and pain. Among many other causes, it can be a corneal ulcer.
An abrasion or ulcer in the cornea is a scratch on the external layer of the cornea. It happens in cases of eye trauma or eye infection, when mechanical trauma and microbes break down the corneal surface. The otherwise transparent cornea now looks grayish or white, obstructing the vision at varying degrees.
The most common cause is bacterial or fungal infection. Another cause is an injury to the eyeball, because it turns into an entry point for bacterial infections.
Anyone wearing contact lenses is at a higher risk, especially if they use them for very extended periods or overnight, increasing the risk of infection. Also, some contact lens wearers undergo microtrauma and small scratches in the corneal surface that harbor bacteria and ultimately cause a corneal ulcer.
Other microorganisms can cause corneal ulcers, including the herpes virus and parasitic infections by Acanthamoeba. We can find this parasite living in swimming pools, tap water, and hot tubs. This Acanthamoeba can cause a severe case of corneal ulcer.
Thus, contact lens users are encouraged to keep good hygiene measures, washing hands before handling their contact lenses, and disinfecting appropriately.
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The most relevant risk factors include:
The most important symptoms are:
As an important step of your diagnosis and management, the optometrist or ophthalmologist will get all of the details, examining the ulcer to determine the location and severity. Treatment include the following measures:
When the infection is controlled with topical antibiotics, prognosis is usually very good. However, severe or complicated infections are not very responsive, and may require a longer treatment duration, lasting several weeks, and sometimes months. Some patients are further complicated with glaucoma or cataracts, and permanent visual loss is sometimes a possibility in cases of irreversible scarring. In such cases, patients will be evaluated to receive corneal transplants, after which they require visual rehabilitation.
Our knowledgeable staff is here to answer all your questions about which procedure is best for you, and ensure you have the most comfortable experience possible. Make an appointment today!
If you are experiencing eye problems that affect your vision, LASIK laser eye surgery could be the answer. Talk to one of our surgeons to discover whether or not laser eye surgery is best for you. We are one of the best providers of laser eye treatments in Waxahachie, Texas. Call our laser eye care center at 469-505-2020.
At Texas Eye and Cataract, we know how important it is to see life with clear vision. We understand that being your best means seeing your best.
At Texas Eye and Cataract, we know how important it is to see life with clear vision. We understand that being your best means seeing your best.
