Resulting from a local infection of the cornea, a corneal ulcer typically presents itself as a red, painful eye with some discharge. If not treated promptly, this type of eye problem can lead to vision loss. Your optometrist in Sykesville, MD, will likely want to see you right away if you think you are suffering from a corneal ulcer.
Causes
How does this condition start? Most often, a corneal ulcer is caused by an infection of the cornea after an injury of the eye. Someone who wears contact lenses has a higher risk of this condition. It could be caused by:
- Severe Dry Eyes
- Allergies
- General Infection
- Poor Contact Lens Hygiene
- Acanthamoeba
- Fungus Infection
- Ocular Herpes
If your eye is injured, you should have a Sykesville eye exam. The eye doctor will be able to determine a treatment that will help prevent or treat a corneal ulcer.
Treatment
The treatment of this condition is usually started right after the damage to your eye. The optometrist may suggest you apply a topical antibiotic to help kill any bacteria that may be in the wound. One factor in how this condition can be treated is the size of the ulcer. If, for example, the ulcer is large, your eye doctor may want to see you every day until the treatment starts to take effect.
Another factor in the treatment of your condition is the type of infection you have. If it is fungal or parasitic, an antibiotic won’t help fight the infection. When you go to your eye exam, make sure to tell the eye doctor exactly how you were injured.
Under serious circumstances, your corneal ulcer treatment in Sykesville may have to include a penetrating keratoplasty. A penetrating keratoplasty is a cornea transplant. This treatment option could help reduce vision loss due to an ulcer. Of course, the surgery itself could lead to complications. Because of the dangers, doctors only use this as an option for some cases of corneal ulcers.