Corneal diseases: What one should know?
Cornea is that front glass part of the eye which protects it against dirt, germs and other foreign particles. Most importantly, its refractive curvature helps the eyes to focus light on the lens and further to the retina. The retina then transforms the light into electrical impulses and sends it to the brain where such impulses are converted into vision. Shaped like a glass dome, the cornea is tough and smooth and is subdivided into five layers: Epithelium, Bowman’s membrane, Stroma, Descemet’s Membrane and Endothelium.
Causes and Symptoms of corneal diseases
Symptoms of corneal injury may include redness around the cornea, eye pain, tearing, sensitivity to light, blurred vision, fatigue, nausea and headache. If you feel one or more of these, a visit to eye specialist doctor is highly recommended. It may take the doctor a complete check-up, accompanied by few tests to ascertain the exact condition of your eye. Accordingly, the eye specialist shall suggest you medicines, corrective corneal surgery or a corneal transplantation (replacement surgery).
The reasons for corneal diseases may vary from infections such as Bacterial, fungal, or viral keratitis or parasitic; trauma; exposure to toxic chemicals; thinning of the cornea; degenerative corneal disorders and corneal dystrophies; allergies such as vernal & atopic keratoconjunctivitis; cancerous growths; eye abrasions; and other disorders and abnormalities of the eye. The medicines/corneal surgery/corneal transplantation suggested by the corneal specialist and surgeons shall depend largely on the cause of corneal disease and the actual damage done.
Treatment for Corneal diseases
While most minor corneal infections are healed through eye-drops and ointments, few might require proper treatment in care of a trusted corneal specialist doctors. These include:-
- Laser surgery – brings back the cornea to its desired shape through a combination of UV light and laser technology.
- Corneal Transplantation – replaces damaged corneal tissues with healthy donor tissues.
- Anterior lamellar keratoplasty – replaces damaged stromal tissues, if the front portion of cornea with healthy stromal tissues (donor).
- Endothelial lamellar keratoplasty – replaces damaged endothelial tissues (back layer of cornea) with endothelial stromal tissues (donor).
- Artificial Cornea (Keratoprosthesis)– replaces damaged cornea with an artificial cornea.
Since the eye is an extremely sensitive organ, any inappropriate course of treatment can result in vision loss or chronic eye pain, it is crucial for the patient to undergo an elaborate discussion on the course of treatment with the eye specialist doctor. Get a thorough check-up and find the underlying cause behind your symptoms today. Call us at 011-29847900/9968697700.
