Keratitis: Causes and Symptoms Madame Magazine

Keratitis is often associated with an infection. Especially in case of maintenance and cleanliness error, or in case of manipulation. So, what are the symptoms and causes of keratitis?

The cornea is a transparent membrane covering the surface of the eye. It is therefore the first to be touched in case of attack and aggression by microbes, germs, foreign objects or in case of exposure to tear gas tanks.

What is the cornea?

The cornea is about half a millimeter thick and consists of 5 layers of cells. In general, the first layer of the cornea is infected (superficial keratitis). Since they contain about 60 times more nerve fibers than teeth, they are much more sensitive to pain than they are! We are talking about keratitis here, when an acute phenomenon occurs that reaches the cornea and causes an infection.

What are the symptoms of keratitis?

The first signs of keratitis observed are as follows:
• pain.
• watery eyes.
• Difficulties with light tolerance.
• There is also the possibility of red eyes.
In case of deep keratitis, there is a possibility of low vision.
In addition, the intense pain that motivates a person to consult an ophthalmologist is that wearing contact lenses becomes impossible. However, the pain may not be proportional to the severity of the inflammation and the vast majority of corneal infections heal quickly without hindrance.

What causes keratitis?

Corneal infections are usually the origin and cause of keratitis. For example, the cause may be a herpes virus or, in rare cases, a physical trauma to the eye (scratches or objects that affect the level of the eye).
In rare cases, the cause of keratitis is parasitic, such as amoeba. These parasites are captured when the contact lenses are cleaned with tap water, rather than with sterile products manufactured by the company. Amebic keratitis can often cause an abscess that is difficult to eliminate.

See your doctor immediately

The general practitioner does not have the tools to examine the cornea with blue light from the ophthalmoscope after distilling a drop of fluorescein dye (fluorescein test). It is therefore best to consult your ophthalmologist immediately.