Although refractive errors are more prominent and better known, there are actually a wide range of diseases that can occur in the eye. You may not have even heard of many of them. One of the eye diseases that is not heard of much but is actually common is keratitis. Let’s take a closer look at what this disease is and what symptoms it shows, which can cause serious eye discomfort if left untreated.
What is Keratitis?
In the front layer of the eye, there is the cornea area, which is dome-shaped and necessary for refracting light. Inflammation in this transparent layer is known as keratitis.
So if we want to make a short definition, keratitis is inflammation of the cornea. The cause of inflammation can be very diverse. It can be due to a physical impact, or keratitis can be directly related to infection.
Especially in cases associated with infection, treatment should be started immediately. Otherwise, you can see that the person may experience vision loss and permanent blindness.
What are the Types of Keratitis?
You can see that there are different types of keratitis, such as punctate keratitis or herpetic keratitis. Depending on the cause of the disease, different names can also be given. Let’s talk about the most common types.
- Parasitic Keratitis: It is a condition caused by a parasite. It is usually seen in contact lens wearers in case of parasite contact with the contact lens.
- Keratitis Due to Bacteria: Again, it is one of the most common diseases in people who do not clean contact lenses sufficiently. Inflammation occurs due to bacteria contaminating the cornea.
- Due to Viruses: It occurs when viruses that cause conjunctivitis cause keratitis in the later stages. Since the disease is caused by the herpes simplex virus, the disease is called herpetic keratitis.
- Due to Fungi: It is a type of keratitis caused by fungi such as Fusarium and Candida. It is also called fungal keratitis and is usually transmitted from contact lenses that are not cleaned.
The diseases mentioned above are infectious diseases. There are also keratitis that can occur after physical impact. For example, scratching your eye with a sharp object. In this case, inflammation of the cornea may occur. These effects should not be forgotten.
What are the Symptoms of Keratitis?
Although the disease can occur for different reasons, it is necessary to say that the symptoms it usually shows are the same. We see that symptoms that are largely similar to each other occur. For these general symptoms, we can make the following order.
- Extremely reddened eyes.
- Sensitivity to light.
- Development of burning and stinging sensation in the eye.
- Discharges and inflamed burrs that may occur in the eye.
- Pain and irritation that will last for a long time.
If you are experiencing one or more of these symptoms, the best thing to do is to see a specialist doctor. After a simple examination, keratitis can be detected and treatment can be started immediately. The important thing here is to intervene before the disease progresses. Because in the later stages, serious vision loss can be encountered.
