What is it about ?
The cornea is the transparent front part of the eye that is in front of the iris and through which light enters the eye.
It may be damaged on the surface (erosion), a kind of scratching of the eye) or more deep (ulcer).
Erosion
Corneal erosion usually develops after trauma. Spontaneous erosion is rare, but possible, for example, in people with diabetes.
Ulcer
Corneal ulcers can be sterile or infected. An intact cornea and normal tear production protect the eye well against infection.
Contamination with bacteria (infected corneal ulcer) is rather rare and mainly affects people whose cornea is already affected (for example by prolonged dryness of the eyes, eye trauma, injury in contact lens wearers, etc. ).
The herpes simplex virus (HSV) can cause inflammation of the cornea (keratitis) with the formation of ulcers. In this case, there is a risk of relapse.
How to recognize them?
The eyes usually hurt and cry. The person has the impression of having something in the eye. Sometimes she can see less well and is more sensitive to light (photophobia). She tends to squint.
How is the diagnosis made?
The doctor will first ask you questions: how did this happen to you? Do you wear contact lenses? How long have you suffered from it? Are there symptoms such as decreased vision, sensitivity to light, sharp pain?
Then he examines the eye. He deposits a dye (fluorescein) on it that allows him to see more clearly if there is an injury to the cornea. In case of herpetic infection, the ulcer takes on a characteristic form of branches. In case of inflammation, the mucous membrane is red and the cornea appears cloudy due to the inflammation and water retention (edema).
What can you do ?
If your eyes are irritated, avoid rubbing them. Rubbing makes the condition worse and can lead to infection.
What can your doctor do?
Treatment depends on the cause. If an injury is the cause of the complaints, it usually heals on its own within 1 to 3 days. You will be given an ointment or eye drops with an antibiotic to help healing and prevent infection. A covering bandage can relieve pain, but will not speed healing. An eye patch may be indicated for diabetics, people with weakened resistance, those with significant eye damage, or those who tend to rub their eyes a lot.
If the corneal injury is not considered to heal enough after 3 days or if the corneal ulcer is not the result of injury, you will be referred to the ophthalmologist. This will especially be the case when you have an inflammation of the cornea that requires emergency treatment to preserve vision. In case of herpes infection, an eye ointment containing aciclovir should be applied for 5 to 10 days.
In the event of contamination, it is important to identify the causative agent and to treat in a targeted manner in order to prevent the contamination from spreading deeper into the eye and causing serious complications.
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