keratitis

n.

inflammation of the cornea of the eye. The eye waters and is very painful and vision is blurred. It may be due to physical or chemical agents (abrasions, exposure to dust, chemicals, ultraviolet light, etc.) or result from infection. In disciform keratitis a disc-shaped patch of oedema and inflammation develops in the cornea, usually as an immune response to viral infection, commonly herpes simplex virus. Filamentary keratitis is associated with small mucoid deposits of epithelial filaments on the surface of the cornea, which come off to leave small corneal erosions that cause severe pain until they heal. Keratitis not due to infection usually responds to keeping the eyes covered until the corneal surface has healed; infections often require specific drug treatment, e.g. with antibiotics.