What is a corneal ulcer?
Your cornea is the clear layer at the front of your eye.
An ulcer is a deep sore. So, a corneal ulcer is a deep sore on your cornea.
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Corneal ulcers are usually caused by infection
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The infection may start with an eye injury or scratch, irritation from a contact lens, or certain eye diseases
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You may have eye pain, tears, sensitivity to light, and red, bloodshot eyes
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Doctors usually treat corneal ulcers with antibiotic eye drops
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Sometimes after a corneal ulcer heals, your cornea has a cloudy scar that affects your vision
See a doctor right away if you think you have a corneal ulcer because it can lead to blindness.
What causes corneal ulcers?
Most corneal ulcers are caused by:
Many different bacteria, viruses, and parasites can be involved.
Usually, you also have an eye problem that makes infection more likely, for example:
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A scratch on your eye
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Irritation from your contact lenses, for example, from wearing them while you sleep or not cleaning them properly
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Irritation from in-growing eyelashes or an in-turned eyelid
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Excessively dry eyes
What are the symptoms of a corneal ulcer?
How can doctors tell if I have a corneal ulcer?
How do doctors treat corneal ulcers?
A corneal ulcer can lead to blindness, so it is important to see a doctor right away if you think you may have a corneal ulcer.
Doctors will treat you right away with:
You may need to use the antibiotic eye drops every hour or two at first.
Rarely, if a scar affects your vision, doctors may do a corneal transplant (an operation to take out your cloudy cornea and replace it with a healthy, clear one).
