Keratitis
Brief description of the disease
Keratitis is an inflammatory disease of the cornea, which is accompanied by clouding of the cornea, and in some cases, severe damage to the stratum corneum and decreased vision up to complete blindness. Keratitis is provoked by:
- eye injuries;
- viral and bacterial infections;
- fungi;
- some chronic diseases (tuberculosis, syphilis);
- avitaminosis;
- dystrophic changes.
It should be noted that eye keratitis is a very serious medical problem. Keratitis leads to clouding of the cornea, the appearance of adhesions, persistent loss of vision, the development of panophthalmitis and endophthalmitis. In addition, a characteristic feature of the disease is its long course - up to several months in especially severe cases.
Types of keratitis
The most common form of the disease is superficial catarrhal keratitis, the symptoms of which develop against the background of conjunctivitis, chronic dacryocystitis, blepharitis. Patients develop lacrimation, photophobia, sharp pain in the eyes. The formation of single or confluent infiltrates is noted along the edge of the cornea. If untreated, it germinates with blood vessels.
Viral keratitis - triggered by the herpes simplex virus or shingles. Patients have a rash in the form of small blisters in the upper eyelids, forehead, nasal bridge and on the stratum corneum. This keratitis is very painful. Often, the disease spreads to the iris or nerve endings that innervate the muscles of the eyes, which leads to glaucoma and dysfunction of the eye muscles. When viral keratitis is diagnosed, treatment is often ineffective. Moreover, patients may experience severe pain even after the disease subsides, and even potent analgesics cannot relieve a person of suffering.
Herpetic keratitis - often manifests itself during acute viral infections, such as influenza. Very often, this makes it difficult to diagnose the disease in a timely manner, since people associate discomfort and pain in the eyes with one of the manifestations of the infection that has arisen. Meanwhile, if you do not see a doctor in time, herpetic keratitis can go beyond the cornea and affect the rest of the eye. The first signs of this form are considered to be increased tearing and photophobia. Patients also complain of swelling of the eyelids, inflammation of the blood vessels and the feeling of a foreign body in the eye. Over time, the disease leads to the formation of ulcers on the surface of the corneal tissue and the formation of a leucorrhoea.
Fungal keratitis - detected much less often than other forms, but it is very difficult and leads to serious complications. The main danger is associated with the fact that the pathogen penetrates into the anterior chamber of the eye, where it is practically impossible to influence it with standard medications. Typically, fungal keratitis begins to develop after foreign objects enter the eye. In a special risk group are people who have survived severe eye diseases, or suffer from the depletion of the body's defenses.
Keratitis symptoms
The main signs of keratitis are characteristic for any form of this disease. First of all, the following symptoms of keratitis should be noted:
- photophobia;
- profuse lacrimation;
- blepharospasm;
- redness of the blood vessels of the white of the eye;
- changes in the appearance of the cornea (it becomes as if eaten away, covered with small tubercles);
- opacity of the cornea;
- the formation of ulcers on the surface of the stratum corneum.
If keratitis of the eye was caused as a result of trauma to the cornea by foreign bodies, then the patients may develop a purulent sac. If the cause of keratitis is severe infections, patients may additionally suffer from swollen lymph nodes, skin rash on the face and swelling.
Keratitis treatment
The main task of doctors is to remove corneal syndrome (with the help of novocaine or Dimexidum) and block the area of inflammation. The last problem is solved by prescribing micro doses of corticosteroids, sulfonamides, amidopyrine. Also, patients need to improve the trophism of the eyes, which is achieved due to vitamins and dibazol.
If a patient has advanced keratitis, treatment is carried out in a hospital setting. The main activities are aimed at delaying the development of the inflammatory process, strengthening the immune system and regenerating the corneal tissue. In the course of treatment, antiviral agents are used: interferon, tebrofen or oxolinic ointment, solutions of idoxuridine and deoxyribonuclease.
Immunomodulators have shown good efficacy in the treatment of keratitis: polyacrylamide, poludanum, pyrogenal in the form of eye drops and injections. Prescribed to patients and mydriatic drugs, and with the addition of secondary infections - antibiotics. Also, the mandatory course of treatment for keratitis includes the use of vitamins, niacin, dibazol, suprastin and tavegil.
To prevent the spread of the inflammatory process, the epithelium is scraped off from the affected areas and burned with ether, iodine or alcohol. For the same purpose, electrocoagulation, neurotomy, keratoplasty, treatment with Bucca rays, laser coagulation are carried out.
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The information is generalized and provided for informational purposes only. At the first sign of illness, see your doctor. Self-medication is hazardous to health!
