Before you start worrying about an infection you don’t have yet, keep in mind that there are other options. You don’t need to be stuck wearing your not-so-attractive backup glasses in the event of an eye infection. In fact, you could ditch the glasses and contacts altogether. Yes, LASIK could turn this hypothetical situation into a mere worry of the past. Keep reading to learn about keratitis, why you should try to avoid it, and how you can lower the risk of getting burned by your contacts.
What is Keratitis?
Keratitis is the common name for inflammation of the cornea, the see-through part of your eye that protects the iris and pupil. This kind of inflammation can come as a result of injury or infection from untreated water, old makeup, or even unclean contact lens cases. Unfortunately, keratitis can cause serious issues if it is left untreated: it can leave your eyes permanently damaged or even leave you blind if you have a severe case. This is one infection you don’t want to second-guess.
Identifying Keratitis
- Eyes that are painful or tender
- Eyes are sensitive to light
- Blurry vision
- Red eyes
- Difficulty opening your eyes completely
How do you treat Keratitis?
Since keratitis can occur as a result of injury, illness, or infection, the treatment your eye doctor will recommend may vary. Generally, you will likely be recommended a medical ointment or antibiotic eye drops. You will need to go without contacts during treatment since they can reintroduce harmful bacteria back into the eye.
Schedule a Consultation
Avoiding keratitis is important for everyone, but very important if you wear contact lenses. If you want to avoid the issue altogether, contact us at (847) 677-2794 to schedule a consultation to learn about LASIK today!
