The main cause of corneal ulcer is infections.

(a) Bacterial infections cause corneal ulcers and are common in people who wear contact lenses.

(b) Viral infections are also possible causes of corneal ulcers – Herpes Simplex and Varicella virus.

(c) Fungal infections due to improper care of contact lenses or overuse of eye drops that contains steroids. Other common causes are loss of corneal sensation , disorders of dry eye and chemical burns.

Patients with dry eye,loss of corneal sensation, contact lens wearers and having bacterial, viral and fungal infections are more at risk of developing corneal ulcer.

Symptoms : Red eye, pain in the eye, foreign body sensation ,tearing , pus or thick discharge draining from the eye, blurry vision, pain when looking at bright lights, swollen eyelids, a white or gray round spot on the cornea that is visible with the naked eye, if the ulcer is large.

Signs: A change in vision, severe pain, feeling of foreign body sensation in the eye, eye having history of scratches or exposure to chemicals or flying particles.

Ophthalmologists will be able to detect corneal ulcer by using a special eye microscope known as slit lamp. To make the ulcer easier to see he or she will instill paracaine eye drops to anaesthetize the eye and then fluoroscein dye is used in the eye to see the staining pattern for detection of corneal ulcer. If infection is the cause of ulcer , the sample of the ulcer may be taken by ophthalmologists and send to laboratory for detection of the cause of corneal ulcer.

Self Care Management: Discontinuation of contact lenses, cool compresses, no touching or rubbing of the eye.

Medication: Counter pain medications. Surgery: Corneal transplant.

If the ulcer cannot be controlled with medications or if it threatens to perforate the cornea you may require an emergency surgical procedure known as corneal transplant or Keratoplasty.

A corneal ulcer is a true emergency, without treatment the ulcer can spread to the rest of the eyeball and there may be a partial and complete loss of vision within a short period of time. There may be corneal perforation followed by scarring, Cataract and Glaucoma.

Toxic Iridiocyclitis due to purulent corneal ulcer.

Secondary Glaucoma due to fibrinus exudates blocking the angle of anterior chamber.

Desmetocele due to perforation of Corneal Descemets membrane.

With the proper treatment corneal ulcers should improve within 2 to 3 weeks. If scars from previous corneal ulcers impair vision a corneal transplant may be needed to restore vision.

The expense depends upon the grades of treatment.