Corneal Ulcer
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Is this condition serious? My friend has got this corneal ulcer and she said if it doesn't heals by friday she might have to be admitted to hospital...
This can lead to blindness right? I'm pretty worried for her. -
There are two forms, as far as I know.
One is the bacterial form, the other is the viral form.
The bacterial form is the more serious form. It can cause blindness if left untreated.
Not quite sure about the viral form, but shouldn't be as serious.
This is what I know from my checkups with eye doctors. I think it will be better for your friend to have a check whether or not it is the bacterial form.
PS: I am not a doctor, and I don't do diagnosis. Have to wait for either the other 3 moderators to be in. You can do some research in the mean time. -
Depends if the ulcer is sterile or infectious. If it is infectious, your friend needs antibiotics, if it is sterile, then it should heal itself but still can become infectious so some disinfection eye drops (anti inflammatory, antibiotics) are still needed. YOur friend should see a doctor ayway. If the ulcer is infectious and won't be treated, it can get worse and when it is really bad, it can damage the cornea and affect the vision.
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Actually the location and appearance of the ulcer is quite helpful to distinguish between the causes...As mentioned by the others, there are alot of different causes. Some are more serious than others. Bacterial infection, parasitic (Entamoeba) infection, fungal infections and viral infection (especially Herpes simplex) can all give rise to corneal ulcers. Contamination of contact lenses is one common problem.
Antibiotics will not work on viruses and fungi, of course, so you will need specific antifungals and antiviral agents like acyclovir. Autoimmune conditions that have nothing to do with an infection can lead to corneal ulcers too...that's why it is important to make the correct diagnosis. Steroid eyedrops can be used to treat autoimmune conditions but they make infections worse.
However, in many cases, it is transient and not serious. A corneal ulcer at the limbus (at the periphery where the black and white parts of the eye meet) is common due to dry eyes. In a dry environment (air con room), if you keep staring at your work and forget to blink or if you have less tear lubrication, you can get a corneal ulcer but it is always peripheral, not central...a central ulcer is much more worrying... -
One of the bloggers I read occassionally oso mentioned she got corneal ulcer...she is in hospital now, tho she said her condition is stable but her eyes felt uncomfortable
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My friend got hospitalized on last wednesday, the same day she smsed me about her condition, guessed it suddenly become worser. Until now i still have not heard anything from her, even though i've smsed her 2days ago.
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Hospitals cannot use handphones ma. How to contact her hp? Visit her in hospital lor.
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Corneal ulcers can heal with the right treatment. However, if the ulcer is not healed properly, it can leave a scar in the cornea. It will then depend on the location of the cornea scar. If it is at the periphery, it won't affect your central vision. If it is at the center of the cornea, it will affect your central vision.
The last alternative in this case if it affects the central vision is to go for a corneal graft. However, with a corneal graft, you may have to be on long term oral steriods, which may cause damage to your other organs in the long term.