In general, the cornea deals very well with minor injuries or abrasions even though it is highly sensitive. If the cornea is scratched, healthy cells slide over quickly and patch the injury before infection occurs and vision is affected. If the scratch penetrates the cornea more deeply, however, the healing process will take longer, at times resulting in greater pain, blurred vision, tearing, redness, and extreme sensitivity to light. These symptoms and other medical conditions require professional treatment from your expert Woolfson Eye Institute (WEI) surgeons. Deeper scratches can cause corneal scarring, resulting in a haze on the cornea that can greatly impair vision and often requires a corneal transplant.

Sometimes the cornea is damaged after a foreign object has penetrated the tissue, such as from a poke in the eye. At other times, bacteria or fungi from a contaminated contact lens or other foreign object can pass into the cornea. These situations can cause painful inflammation and corneal infections called keratitis that reduces visual clarity, produces corneal discharges, and perhaps erodes the cornea or leads to corneal scarring. Typically, the deeper the corneal infection, the more severe the symptoms and the complications incurred.

Although relatively infrequent, corneal infections are also the most serious complication of contact lens wear. Minor corneal infections are commonly treated with anti-bacterial drops. If the problem is severe, it may require more intensive antibiotic or anti-fungal treatment as well as steroid eye drops to reduce inflammation. Frequent visits to your doctor may be necessary for several months to eliminate the problem.

There are many corneal conditions that require special medical attention. Please click on one of the tabs above for more detailed information on specific corneal diseases, which are just a sample of those treated at WEI with all the benefits of the Woolfson Ophthalmology Difference that blends unique surgical experience with the greatest ranges of technologies and techniques including the latest, most innovative approaches.