What is punctate keratopathy?
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.
What is punctate corneal staining?
Punctate staining is an important sign of dry eye disease and ocular surface irritation. These fluorescent spots have been considered toxic,72–74 infiltrative, and even infectious events.
How do you treat SPK?
Treatment of Superficial Punctate Keratitis When the cause is a bacterial infection or prolonged use of contact lenses, antibiotics are used, and the wearing of contact lenses is temporarily discontinued. When the cause is dry eyes, ointments and artificial tears are effective.
What is thygeson’s SPK?
Described in 1950 by Phillips Thygeson in a case report series, Thygeson’s superficial punctate keratitis (TSPK) is an insidious, chronic and recurrent disorder, characterized by small and elevated oval corneal intraepithelial, whitish-gray opacities, extending to the entire anterior surface of the cornea of both eyes.
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.
How is superficial punctate keratitis diagnosed and treated?
Doctors diagnose superficial punctate keratitis based on the person’s symptoms and the results of an eye examination. Most people recover fully. Symptoms can often be relieved with eye drops or ointments. Introduction to Corneal Disorders The cornea is the clear layer in front of the iris and pupil.
What are the key words for superficial keratopathy?
Key words: Cornea, keratopathy, corneal epithelium, punctate keratopathy, dendritic keratopathy, plaque SUPERFICIAL KERATOPATHY Abnormalities of the corneal surface are among the most common problems encountered in ophthalmology. A wide range of diseases creates various patterns of change in the superficial
What does exposure keratopathy mean in medical terms?
Disease Entity. Exposure keratopathy (EK) is damage to the cornea that occurs primarily from prolonged exposure of the ocular surface to the outside environment.
Which is the best dye for keratitis sicca?
The most useful yet most underused vital stain is rose bengal, which has an affinity for devitalized corneal and conjunctival epithelial cells, as well as for keratin and mucus. This dye is indispensable in the diagnosis of keratitis sicca, and the pattern of staining can be helpful in