More than half a million Australians are affected by cataracts, but this eye disorder does not always have to spell doom and gloom. Whether you are affected by cataracts yourself, or it has been diagnosed in a loved one, this is the place to learn more about cataracts to raise awareness about this issue. From the reason for cataracts to treatment options, there is plenty to read up on here. A cataract diagnosis is not an automatic blindness diagnosis, so take the time to educate yourself about this medical problem so that any diagnosis is met head-on with positivity and optimism.
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Keratitis is an inflammatory eye condition that affects the cornea, which is the clear, protective layer on the front of your eye. The condition can be infectious or non-infectious in origin. Infectious keratitis is caused by a fungus, virus or bacteria and often develops in people who swim in untreated water or sustain an eye injury. Non-infectious keratitis can occur as a result of a foreign object in the eye, wearing contact lenses for too long or not cleaning your contact lenses properly. When keratitis is left untreated you can suffer permanent damage to your vision. Here's an overview of the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment approach for this condition.
Symptoms
Early symptoms of keratitis include sensitivity to light, excess tears and localised redness. As the condition progresses, it's common to experience eye pain, blurred vision and partial loss of vision. Damage to the cornea alters how light enters your eye and how it reaches the retina and optic nerve at the back of your eye. These alterations are typically temporary, but permanent changes can occur as damage to the cornea worsens over time. Additionally, you may feel like you always have something in your eye, and the irritation can make it difficult to keep your eye open.
Diagnosis And Treatment Approach
Your optometrist can diagnose keratitis during a routine eye exam. They will use a penlight to help identify areas of corneal surface inflammation and carry out a slit lamp exam, which allows them to see magnified images of your eye. Slit lamps can help the optometrist determine the extent of the keratitis and whether any of the surrounding parts of the eye have been affected by the damage to the cornea. You may also be referred to an ophthalmologist to have the cornea swabbed and analysed for the presence of bacteria or fungus.
Treatment for keratitis depends on whether it's infectious or non-infectious in nature. Infectious keratitis may require antibacterial or antifungal eye drops, oral antivirals or antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs. Non-infectious keratitis may be treated with artificial tear drops to keep the eye moist, which can stimulate healing, topical steroids and anti-inflammatories.
If keratitis has developed as a result of wearing contact lenses for too long or not cleaning them correctly, your optometrist may suggest you use disposable contact lenses or show you how to care for your contact lenses and your eyes to prevent keratitis recurring.
If you are experiencing symptoms associated with keratitis, schedule an appointment with your optometrist as soon as possible.
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