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keratitis
The difference between conjunctivitis and keratitis.
Eye membrane inflammation generally refers to the whites of the eyes, which is conjunctivitis, while corneal inflammation refers to the black part of the eyes. Both conjunctivitis and corneal inflammation should be actively treated. The symptoms of conjunctivitis include red eyes, swelling, pain, tearing, photophobia, increased secretion, foreign body sensation, and burning sensation, generally not affecting vision. In addition to the above symptoms, corneal inflammation has more pronounced symptoms of corneal irritation, such as increased sensitivity to light and more severe tearing. If corneal inflammation is not actively treated, it may later lead to thinning of the cornea, spots, and opacities, severely affecting vision. If not treated properly, corneal ulcers can perforate, leading to complete loss of vision, or blindness.
Symptoms of neonatal keratitis
After a newborn develops keratitis, symptoms such as eye discomfort, tearing, increased tear secretion, and congestion may occur. If the cornea is infected due to disease or trauma, the inflammation of the cornea will inevitably affect the vision to varying degrees, especially if the inflammation invades the pupil area, which is more severe. After the ulcer heals, the resulting corneal scar not only obstructs the entry of light into the eye but also causes changes in the curvature and refractive index of the corneal surface, affecting vision. Generally, for newborns, the symptoms are caused by non-severe illnesses, so they are usually mild, mostly involving tearing or even secretion. In such cases, eye medications should be used early for treatment. (Specific medications should be used under the guidance of a physician.)
What should I do if my baby gets keratitis?
Infants with keratitis should visit the hospital for an examination as soon as possible. Some children might not cooperate well, requiring experienced doctors to assist in the examination to determine the cause and provide symptomatic treatment. Concurrently, etiological treatment should be administered. Initially, local antibiotics should be used for anti-infection treatment. If the keratitis is caused by a viral infection, antiviral medication can be appropriately used. If the condition worsens, the patient should be checked once a day or once every two days. Once there is an improvement, a follow-up check is generally required every three days. Additionally, it is important to monitor for any corneal damage, and if necessary, medications for corneal repair should be used.
Conjunctivitis and Keratitis Differences
Under normal circumstances, bacteria can reside in the conjunctival sac. Infection can occur when the pathogenicity of infecting bacteria is stronger than the host's defense capabilities, or when the host's defense capabilities are compromised. Patients with varying degrees of conjunctival hyperemia and purulent, mucoid, or mucopurulent secretions in the conjunctival sac should be suspected of bacterial conjunctivitis. Keratitis refers to the condition where the cornea's defense capabilities are reduced, and inflammation of the corneal tissue occurs due to external or endogenous pathogenic factors invading the cornea.
The difference between conjunctivitis and keratitis.
Conjunctivitis, also known as acute or subacute conjunctivitis, and keratitis are among the most common diseases of the ocular surface, but they are different. Firstly, the locations of the cornea and conjunctiva are different. The cornea is a transparent, avascular tissue through which light enters the eye, allowing people to see. The conjunctiva is divided into the bulbar conjunctiva and the palpebral conjunctiva. Inflammation occurring on the cornea is called keratitis, while inflammation on the conjunctiva is referred to as conjunctivitis. Symptoms of conjunctivitis include congestion, foreign body sensation, photophobia, and tearing, among others. The symptoms of keratitis include a significant foreign body sensation, distinct pain, often affecting vision, and accompanied by photophobia.
Keratitis can be divided into several stages according to pathological changes.
Keratitis can be divided into four stages according to pathological changes: the infiltration stage, the ulceration stage, the ulcer recession stage, and the healing stage. The condition of the cornea differs at each stage, and treatment must be administered accordingly. Treatments include anti-inflammatory eye drops, antiviral eye drops, and eye ointment therapy. When necessary, treatment can involve the use of a corneal bandage contact lens. If it reaches the healing stage, such as when scars form in the anterior elastic layer and the stromal layer, resulting in corneal opacity, nebula, and leukoma, this can affect vision and regular follow-ups may be required.
Can you get eyebrow tattooing with keratitis?
Keratitis is a common ophthalmic disease, caused by an infection in the black eyeball part of the eye. It is not recommended to get eyebrow tattooing during keratitis as it may aggravate the condition. Keratitis generally occurs due to neglect of eye hygiene or eye trauma, among other reasons. The main symptoms include eye congestion, redness, foreign body sensation, stabbing pain, photophobia, tearing, and decreased vision. When examined under a slit lamp microscope, tree-branch, map-like, circular, or oval lesions can be seen on the cornea. At this point, it is necessary to use anti-infection eye drops for treatment, such as ganciclovir eye drops for viral infections, levofloxacin eye drops or tobramycin eye drops for bacterial infections. Regular treatment for about two weeks generally leads to recovery. (Please follow the doctor's advice regarding medication.)
Itchy eye corners conjunctivitis or keratitis
Itchy inner corners of the eyes are generally caused by medial or lateral canthal inflammation, mainly due to allergies or allergic rhinitis, or physical and chemical irritants. It is not conjunctivitis or keratitis. Conjunctivitis is characterized by the whitening of the eyeball turning red, photophobia, tearing, increased secretion, foreign body sensation, and burning sensation; Keratitis involves diseases of the pupil, primarily based on conjunctivitis but with more pronounced photophobia, mainly affecting vision severely. If keratitis is not treated actively, it can lead to a severe decline in vision, even blindness. Therefore, for these conditions, it is advised to first visit an ophthalmology outpatient clinic for a thorough examination and active treatment.
Can chronic keratitis cause blindness?
Chronic bacterial conjunctivitis generally does not cause blindness. Its main clinical symptoms include itching, burning, dryness, eye pain, and visual fatigue. The conjunctiva is mildly congested and may be accompanied by thickening of the palpebral conjunctiva, papillary hypertrophy, and mucous secretions. Moraxella can cause canthal conjunctivitis, which is accompanied by crusting and ulceration of the skin at the outer canthus, and hypertrophy of the palpebral conjunctiva's papillae and follicles. Staphylococcus aureus infections are often accompanied by ulcerative blepharitis, or peripheral corneal punctate infiltration.
How to treat baby keratitis?
Firstly, keratitis can be considered to be caused by bacterial or viral infections, with bacterial keratitis being more common. In such cases, we can first use saline or warm boiled water to rinse the cornea clean, and then apply eye drops, specifically antibacterial and anti-inflammatory ones, such as Tobramycin Eye Drops. Apply three to four drops, three to four times a day, and continue for three to five days. The symptoms of keratitis will then alleviate.