Keratitis

Inflammation or infection of the cornea

Overview

Keratitis is inflammation of the cornea, the clear front window of the eye. Infectious keratitis can be caused by bacteria, viruses such as herpes simplex and herpes zoster, fungi, and the amoeba Acanthamoeba, while non infectious forms follow dryness, injury, or immune disease. Typical features are pain, redness, light sensitivity, tearing, and blurred vision. Contact lens wear is a major recognized risk factor for microbial keratitis. Because corneal infection can scar the cornea and threaten sight, it is treated as urgent, and severe scarring may later require corneal transplantation.