KERATITIS

Course overview

KERATITIS IS A CLINICAL ENTITY WHEREIN INFLAMMATORY CELLS INFILTRATE DIFFERENT CORNEAL LAYERS IN RESPONSE TO NOXIOUS STIMULI, EITHER INFECTIOUS EXOGENOUS AGENTS OR SELF-ANTIGENS. THE INFLAMMATORY REACTION MAY RESULT IN THE SUPPURATIVE MELTING OF CORNEAL EPITHELIUM AND STROMA, RESULTING IN THE FORMATION OF ULCERS. THIS RESULTS NOT ONLY IN THE LOSS OF CORNEAL CLARITY BUT ALSO THREATENS THE INTEGRITY OF THE GLOBE. SUCH CASES MAY RESULT IN CORNEAL BLINDNESS. THIS ACTIVITY HELPS CLINICIANS IDENTIFY THE ETIOLOGICAL AGENT AT THE EARLIEST BASED ON CLINICAL FEATURES AND APPROPRIATE DIAGNOSTIC TESTS AND MANAGE THESE PATIENTS WITH THE LATEST TREATMENT OPTIONS. IT REVIEWS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM.