BACTERIAL KERATITIS

Course overview

BACTERIAL KERATITIS OR CORNEAL ULCER IS A COMMON SIGHT-THREATENING OCULAR CORNEAL PATHOLOGY. IN SOME CASES, THERE IS RAPIDLY PROGRESSIVE STROMAL INFLAMMATION. IF UNTREATED CAN LEAD TO PROGRESSIVE TISSUE DESTRUCTION, CORNEAL PERFORATION, OR EXTENSION OF INFECTION TO ADJACENT TISSUE. BACTERIAL KERATITIS IS COMMONLY ASSOCIATED WITH RISK FACTORS THAT DISTURB THE CORNEAL EPITHELIAL INTEGRITY. A METICULOUS SLIT LAMP CLINICAL EXAMINATION, CORNEAL SCRAPING WITH SMEARING, AND CULTURE ARE MANDATED TO REACH A CONCLUSIVE DIAGNOSIS. ANTIBACTERIALS ARE THE MAINSTAY OF TREATMENT AND ADJUVANT IN THE FORM OF CYCLOPLEGICS, ANTIGLAUCOMA MEDICATIONS, AND ORAL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DRUGS. RAPIDLY PROGRESSIVE CASES UNRESPONSIVE TO MEDICAL TREATMENT REQUIRE THERAPEUTIC KERATOPLASTY. THIS ACTIVITY AIMS TO GIVE DEEPER INSIGHT INTO ETIOLOGY, RISK FACTORS, EPIDEMIOLOGY, CLINICAL PRESENTATION, MICROBIOLOGICAL AND HISTOPATHOLOGICAL ANALYSIS, TREATMENT, COMPLICATION, DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS, AND PROGNOSIS OF BACTERIAL KERATITIS.