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December 04, 2024
While corneas are designed to protect the eyes from disease and injury and focus light so you can see, this part of the eye can sometimes become infected or damaged. When the cornea is damaged or infected, it can affect how you see, causing glares, blurred vision, and pain.
OOMC eye care centers can diagnose and treat corneal diseases with medication or surgical procedures.
Corneal disease is any condition that affects the cornea, the transparent outermost layer of the eye. Many causes of corneal disease exist, such as viral or bacterial infections, autoimmune conditions, scratches, foreign objects in the eye, dry eyes, and environmental irritants. A diseased cornea can affect vision and have long-term effects if not treated.
Some of the most common corneal diseases include:
Keratoconus is a degenerative corneal disease in which the cornea changes shape and thins out, distorting vision. The cornea creates a cone-like bulge in the eye, which can make it difficult for people to read or drive because the shape of the cornea distorts light entering the eye.
Fuchs Endothelial Dystrophy is a corneal disease that causes swelling to the cornea. This swelling creates a glare, cloudy vision, pain, and light sensitivity. Some people also have difficulty seeing at night.
If left untreated, Fuchs Endothelial Dystrophy can lead to vision loss and require a corneal transplant to restore vision.
Corneal abrasions (scratches) are known as Traumatic/Secondary Eye Conditions and are the most common type of injury to the eye. Minor corneal abrasions usually heal on their own; however, more significant corneal abrasions can cause blurred vision, redness, tearing, and light sensitivity.
Epithelial Dystrophy, also called map-dot-fingerprint dystrophy, is a genetic corneal disease that occurs when the corneal membrane develops abnormally and creates folds in the cornea. These folds sometimes look like fingerprints or lines on a map.
The folds in the cornea can cause sensitivity to light, pain, blurry vision, and the feeling that something is in the eye.
Most corneal diseases can be diagnosed during a routine eye exam. During an eye exam, a doctor examines a patient’s eyes, cornea, and eyelids using a tool called a slit lamp microscope.
Additional testing may be required to learn more about your eye’s cornea and the disease affecting it. A topography helps determine the shape of your cornea, while pachymetry determines the thickness of it.
Biopsies, bloodwork, and cultures can help doctors better understand the disease and create a personalized treatment plan that may include medication or surgery.
The key to catching corneal diseases early is routine eye exams. Your eye doctor will discuss with you how often you should have an eye exam based on your health history, age, and eye health.
If you have developed a corneal disease, your eye doctor can also monitor its progress with regular eye exams and recommend additional treatment when needed.
If you’re experiencing the symptoms of corneal disease, such as eye pain, excessive tearing, or redness, an eye care center in the OOMC network can help. Our eye doctors can diagnose and treat a variety of corneal diseases so you can get relief from discomfort and see better. Contact us to schedule an appointment today.
