What causes punctate keratitis?

Superficial punctate keratitis is an eye disorder caused by death of small groups of cells on the surface of the cornea (the clear layer in front of the iris and pupil). The eyes become red, watery, and sensitive to light, and vision may decrease somewhat.

Is punctate keratitis serious?

Punctate keratitis, corneal epithelial defects (Fig. 91-3) and primary conjunctival wound leaks are the most common complications of postoperative 5-FU injections. Although the corneal epithelium usually recovers, some serious damage has occurred in eyes with pre-existing corneal diseases.

What is punctate epithelial keratitis?

The punctate epithelial keratitis (PEK) is a distinct clinical entity characterized by coarse, raised intraepithelial lesions surrounded by focal inflammatory cells, with punctate staining as well as areas of negative staining on fluorescein. PEK is often a clinical picture common to various cornea pathologies.

What happens if keratitis is left untreated?

With prompt attention, mild to moderate cases of keratitis can usually be effectively treated without loss of vision. If left untreated, or if an infection is severe, keratitis can lead to serious complications that may permanently damage your vision.

Is punctate keratitis dry eye?

Abstract: Ocular surface damage is a major characteristic of dry eye syndrome. Ocular surface damage caused from dry eye refers to that there is superficial punctate keratitis (SPK), or also called the punctate dots, on the ocular surface.

What does a punctate lesion of the cornea look like?

This problem appears as fine, scattered areas of loss of epithelium from the cornea – the clear part of the surface of the eye. The lesions appear punctate (looking like dots or points) but sometimes can appear dendritic (linear and branching). Superficial punctate keratitis is uncommon and not communicable.

Does keratitis go away on its own?

If your keratitis is caused by an injury, it usually clears up on its own as your eye heals. You may get an antibiotic ointment to help with symptoms and prevent infection. Infections are treated with prescription eye drops and sometimes antibiotics or antiviral medicine.

How long does it take to recover from keratitis?

In conclusion, persons with bacterial keratitis experienced marked improvement in visual acuity in the first 3 months after starting treatment, and experienced a smaller but still significant improvement in vision from 3 to 12 months after starting treatment.