CORNEA ANATOMY & FUNCTIONS – LINKOCARE
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF CORNEAL CONDITIONS?
- Pain
- Blurred vision
- Tearing
- Redness
- Extreme sensitivity to light
- Corneal scarring
WHAT CONDITIONS CAN DAMAGE THE CORNEA?
1. Keratitis
This is an inflammation of the cornea that sometimes occurs with infection after bacteria or fungi enter the cornea. These microorganisms can enter the eye after deep injury, causing infection, inflammation, and ulceration of the cornea. Though uncommon, this type of infection can also arise after injury from wearing contact lenses.
Symptoms of keratitis include:
- Severe pain
- Reduced visual clarity
- Corneal discharge
Treatment usually includes antibiotic or antifungal eye drops.
2. Keratoconus
Keratoconus is a progressive disease in which the cornea thins and changes shape. Keratoconus changes the curvature of the cornea, creating either mild or severe distortion, called astigmatism, and usually nearsightedness. Keratoconus may also cause swelling and scarring of the cornea and vision loss.
Causes of keratoconus include:
- Genetics (a person can inherit a tendency to get the condition from a parent).
- Eye trauma (for example, from rubbing your eyes or long-term use of hard contacts).
- Eye diseases, such as retinitis pigmentosa, retinopathy of prematurity, and vernal keratoconjunctivitis.
- Other diseases, like Down syndrome, osteogenesis imperfecta, Addison’s disease, Leber’s congenital amaurosis, and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.
At first, the condition is correctible with glasses or soft contact lenses. But, as the disease progresses, you may need to wear rigid gas permeable contact lenses.
A corneal transplantation may also be necessary.
3. Corneal scarring from trauma and infection:
If an injury or infection damages the deep layers of the cornea, it may not recover completely and scars may form reducing the vision.
4. Bullous keratopathy
It is a corneal disorder in which small blister-like vesicles (bullae) are formed in the cornea due to endothelial dysfunction. The vesicles may undergo painful ruptures disrupting vision.
