Corneal Conditions

A corneal abrasion is a scratch or scrape on the surface layer. It can happen when a foreign object like dirt or a fingernail touches the eye. Symptoms include sharp pain, tearing, redness, and light sensitivity. We often treat small abrasions with antibiotic drops and a protective patch or bandage lens to prevent infection and ease pain.

Keratitis means inflammation of the cornea. It can be infectious or noninfectious. Infectious keratitis may be bacterial, fungal, or viral (often herpes simplex virus). Treatment depends on the cause and can include antibiotic, antifungal, or antiviral drops. Steroid eye drops may reduce inflammation, but they must be used carefully to avoid making some infections worse.

A corneal ulcer is an open sore that often results from an infection. You may see a white or gray spot on the cornea. Symptoms include severe pain, discharge, tearing, and reduced vision. This condition needs urgent care to prevent permanent vision loss. We use high-strength antibiotics or antifungals and may admit you for in-office care if needed.

Keratoconus is a noninflammatory thinning and bulging of the cornea into a cone shape. This change causes distorted or blurred vision that cannot be corrected with regular glasses. Treatment can include specialty contact lenses or corneal crosslinking. Crosslinking uses riboflavin drops and ultraviolet light to strengthen corneal collagen and halt progression.

Fuchs’ dystrophy is a hereditary disorder of the innermost endothelial layer. It leads to buildup of tiny bumps called corneal guttata. These bumps reduce the endothelium’s ability to pump fluid out, causing swelling and blurred vision. Hypertonic saline drops draw fluid out of the cornea to ease symptoms, but they do not treat the underlying endothelial loss.

A pterygium is a benign growth of conjunctival tissue that can extend onto the cornea. It is often linked to chronic UV exposure and wind. Early growth may cause mild irritation or redness. Larger growths can distort your vision by changing the shape of the cornea. Surgical removal can restore comfort and prevent vision problems.

We use antibiotic or antiviral drops to treat infections and corticosteroid drops to reduce inflammation. Lubricating eye solutions help with dry spots or mild irritation. Each medication is chosen based on the specific cause of your corneal issue.

Hypertonic saline drops draw excess fluid out of a swollen cornea. They are often used in Fuchs’ dystrophy to reduce morning vision blur. These drops ease symptoms but do not fix the underlying endothelial damage.

Specialty lenses can vault over or reshape an irregular cornea for clearer vision and better comfort.

• Scleral lenses rest on the white part of your eye and vault over the cornea to create a smooth surface.
• Rigid gas-permeable lenses reshape the cornea and are often used for keratoconus.
• Custom soft lenses combine comfort with improved vision for mild irregularities.

PTK uses an excimer laser to remove superficial scars and opacities. This treatment smooths the corneal surface and can reduce irregular astigmatism. It is best suited for surface-level problems and does not treat deeper corneal disease.

Corneal crosslinking strengthens corneal collagen to halt progression of keratoconus. We apply riboflavin eye drops and then shine ultraviolet light to activate the drops. This process creates new bonds between collagen fibers and makes the cornea more rigid.

Transplant surgery replaces damaged corneal tissue with donor tissue. Penetrating keratoplasty is a full-thickness transplant. Partial-thickness procedures like DSAEK and DMEK replace only the inner layers. We choose the type of graft that best fits your condition and recovery needs.