KERATITIS

KERATITI - inflammation of the cornea, accompanied by its clouding and decreased vision. In the etiology of keratitis, infection is most important, the pathogens penetrate into the corneal tissues endogenously or exogenously (respectively, distinguish between endogenous and exogenous keratitis). The development of endogenous keratitis can be associated with chronic diseases - tuberculosis, syphilis, brucellosis, herpes, etc., with metabolic disorders, hypo-and avitaminosis, drug allergy, etc. The occurrence of exogenous keratitis is caused by pneumococci, viruses, fungi, as well as the effects of mechanical, physical and chemical factors. The development of keratitis is promoted by chronic diseases of the eyelids, conjunctiva and lacrimal passages.

The main signs of keratitis are photophobia , lacrimation, blepharospasm , hyperemia of conjunctival and pericorneal vessels, sensation of the presence of a foreign body in the eye. Sometimes these phenomena are so pronounced that the patient can not open his eyes. If the inflammatory process is localized in the central part of the cornea, there is a significant decrease in visual acuity; Foci of inflammation, located on the periphery of the cornea, the visual acuity, as a rule, do not affect.

Creeping corneal ulcer occurs most often due to superficial injuries of the cornea with spikelets of cereals, tree branches, small foreign bodies. The development of the process is facilitated by purulent inflammation of the lacrimal sac. The examination reveals a defect in the corneal tissue with purulent infiltration and a tendency to spread along the surface and into the depth. At the bottom of the anterior chamber of the eye pus accumulates (hypopion), the pupil deforms. The current is usually heavy. Treatment is carried out only in the hospital. Apply sulfonamides and antibiotics. In the absence of timely treatment, complications such as corneal perforation, endophthalmitis, panophthalmitis, etc., are possible.

Herpetic keratitis causes herpes simplex viruses. At the same time, the sensitivity of the cornea sharply decreases or is absent. There are superficial and deep herpetic keratitis. Superficial herpetic keratitis is characterized by the appearance on the surface of the cornea opacities in the form of a tree twig (dendritic keratitis); Deep (stromal) herpetic keratitis is often accompanied by ulceration of the corneal surface, diffuse clouding of the deep layers of the cornea. In the discoid form of deep keratitis, corneal opacification is observed in the form of a disk in the middle and deep layers of the cornea. Treatment is carried out only in the hospital. Antiviral drugs are used.

Keratitis of syphilitic, tuberculous and brucellosis origin differs from focal or diffuse infiltration of deep corneal layers with no tendency to ulceration. Provocative moments are the transferred infectious diseases, hypo-and avitaminosis. In complex treatment, the main place is given to specific therapy aimed at treating the underlying disease.

Phlyctenular keratitis is a tuberculosis-allergic inflammation of the cornea. It is most common in children suffering from bronchial asthma or tuberculosis of the lymph nodes. Often there is an eczematous rash on the skin of the face; Face puffy, submandibular lymph nodes enlarged. There is a sharp photophobia , blepharospasm , lachrymation. On the conjunctiva, at the limb and in the cornea itself, small nodules are found - fliken, to which a bundle of vessels is suitable. Treatment is carried out at the direction of a pediatrician or phthisiatrist.

Depending on the severity of the process, keratitis can result in a complete restoration of the cornea's transparency and visual acuity, or scarring of the cornea - a whitening that causes a decrease in visual acuity, sometimes to blindness.