The cornea is the outermost, transparent window of the eye that is responsible for the clear vision that we enjoy. It is a delicate structure that is protected by a number of defense systems in the eye – the lids and lashes, the tears, and our immune system. Despite these however, infections can sometimes wreak havoc in the cornea.

Infections can occur when the defenses of the eye are breached -by injury, foreign bodies, improperly used contact lenses, or by a weakened immune defense, as in diabetes mellitus. They are a serious problem and must be dealt with immediately. Unlike in other parts of the body, the clarity of the cornea is critical, and severe infections can cause corneal clouding with resultant poor vision..

The symptoms of corneal infections include redness, pain of varying intensity, lid swelling, watering and discharge and blurred vision. If you experience any of these, you must immediately approach your ophthalmologist.

Corneal infections can be caused by a variety of infective agents – these include bacteria, fungi, viruses, parasites, and sometimes a combination of these. Proper diagnosis requires the removal of a small amount of the infected tissue for smear and culture studies. It requires an experienced microbiologist to interpret these correctly.

Once the infection is identified, appropriate treatment is required using antibiotic drops and close observation. It is equally important that steroids are used judiciously to ensure that corneal scarring is minimized. If medications fail to cure the condition, then urgent surgery is required to save the eye and vision.

Corneal surgery in an inflamed and infected eye requires special expertise. It is also important that the Centre is equipped with facilities to perform emergent corneal surgery – including intraocular antibiotic infections, cyanoacrylate glue application, lamellar and penetrating ocular surgery, and sometimes, a total corneo-scleral transplant. These facilities exist a Darshan Eye Care.