Corneal Diseases

The cornea is the outermost layer of the eye and has a transparent and vascular structure. It is known as a light-focusing tissue that is responsible for protecting the eye against external factors. The transparency of the cornea can be damaged or deteriorated due to various reasons.

Corneal transparency may be defective at birth, or it may be damaged due to genetic factors or subsequent trauma, as a result of infection and surgical intervention. As a result of the deterioration of the transparency of the cornea, serious decreases in the quality of vision are observed.

Any damage to the cornea not only deteriorates the quality of vision but also causes different symptoms that will affect the quality of life. Damage to the cornea, in addition to deteriorating the quality of vision, causes symptoms such as pain, burning, stinging or increased light sensitivity.

What are Corneal Diseases?

It is possible to talk about many diseases that may occur in the corneal tissue, where different structures are located . Corneal diseases can be listed as follows;

• Diseases caused by hereditary factors
• metabolic diseases
• Dry eyes, eyelash root inflammation, and tear disorders can affect the cornea.
• Infections: Since the cornea is located in the outer layer of the eye, it is considered a very open structure for infection. Bacteria, viruses and fungi can cause corneal infections.
• Allergies; Just like in infections, it is known that the cornea is very likely to be exposed to effects that will cause an allergic reaction.
• Rheumatism-related diseases in the body spread to the eyes
• corneal tumors
• Corneal problems caused by eyelid diseases
• Traumas (foreign body settling on the cornea, irritant or toxic substances splashing on the cornea)

Corneal Diseases Due to Allergy

Eye allergy stands out as one of the most common corneal diseases . Various foreign substances, such as pollen, that come into contact with the surface of the eye cause reactions in the eye.

Since the eye is the only organ in our body that is open to external environments, it is known as the area where allergies are most common. In some patients with eye allergies, the allergy may also affect the corneal tissue.

Things that cause allergies in the eyes;

It is extremely difficult to know the causes of eye allergies. The most common causes include pollen, dust and sunlight. Eye allergies, which can be caused by many reasons, can also be caused by allergies in another part of the body.

Is It Possible to Prevent Eye Allergies?

There is no method to completely prevent eye allergies . If it is possible to stay away from allergens, the frequency of complaints can be reduced. With early diagnosis, symptoms can be alleviated and the process can be made much more comfortable.

Can Eye Allergies Cause Serious Eye Damage?

Eye allergies, especially seen in children, can cause damage up to vision loss when they affect the cornea .

In addition, as a result of allergy formation , it may be necessary to apply treatments that include long-term medication use and surgical methods. Cortisone allergy drops that are not used under the supervision of a doctor can damage the cornea and cause increased intraocular pressure, that is, eye pressure.

Eye infection

Eye infection is also a common condition, just like allergies.

Conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis , infection of the whites of the eye, can develop due to many different reasons. The most common cause of conjunctivitis is known to be viruses. Additionally, various bacteria in addition to viruses can cause conjunctivitis.

Once the causative agent is identified, treatment options for the causative agent are followed. Conjunctivitis usually occurs with symptoms such as watery eyes, watery eyes and redness.

Adenovirus Conjunctivitis

Although conjunctivitis caused by adenovirus can last up to 4 weeks, when it affects the cornea, it can cause complications up to permanent vision loss. It is extremely important to intervene in time and be followed by a specialist physician.

Although it is known as an infectious disease, it can also cause epidemics. A 1-year treatment period using special medications may be needed. Additionally, even if it is treated successfully, it is considered possible that it will leave a permanent scar on the cornea.

Pupil Infection with Germs

In fact, the place we call the pupil is the space in the middle of the iris (the colored part of the eye) behind the cornea, which shrinks with light and grows in the dark, but we, as physicians, can use the concept of pupil when talking about situations in which the cornea is infected or may become infected in order to explain it more easily to patients .

In addition to the white of the eye, the pupil, that is, the cornea, can also become infected. This condition is called keratitis . It is a very important condition and it is extremely important to treat it seriously. It may cause the development of extremely serious complications, especially permanent vision loss.

The eye is an organ that is very susceptible to infection due to its structure. Therefore, it is useful to pay attention to hygiene. It is beneficial to stay away from actions that may cause infection, such as rubbing the eyes, especially after coming into contact with public areas.

What are the causes of keratitis? Who is in the Risk Group?

Many microbes can cause keratitis. These; They can be explained as parasites, bacteria, fungi and viruses. In particular, herpes keratitis is a condition that needs to be monitored because it can persist for a long time and recur.

It may develop due to factors such as trauma such as injury or scratching of the eye, conjunctivitis, impairment of the immune system, and lack of attention to hygiene when using contact lenses. For contact lens wearers, entering the pool with lenses seriously increases the risk of keratitis.

Symptoms of keratitis are known as eye redness, sensitivity to light, stinging, pain, burrs, cloudiness and watering. Since keratitis develops due to different reasons, it may be necessary to make personalized medicines in the form of drops. In more serious cases with complex complications, methods such as corneal transplantation or amnion transplantation may be required to ensure corneal healing.

Dry Eye

Dry eye is amongthe most common corneal diseases . In order for the eye to see healthily, it must constantly produce tears. Tears are a liquid composed of many components and have a unique quality for eye health.

Tears contain many substances, such as substances that enable the growth of eye cells and are responsible for killing germs, and consist of 3 layers: Mucin, Aqueous, Lipid. Conditions affecting one or more of these 3 layers cause dry eyes .

Who Gets Lack of Tears? What are the symptoms?

Dry eyes are more common in people who frequently look at computers and similar screens, in people with rheumatic diseases, in people who spend a lot of time in air-conditioned and dry environments, in post-menopausal women, in patients who do not remove contact lenses daily, and in people with eyelash root inflammation .

Diagnosing dry eye and distinguishing its types is an important point in terms of treatment. For this, some staining tests and Schirmer test etc. Special tests such as these are required. During the treatment period, it may be necessary to use medications that increase the tear effect, drops that prevent the evaporation of tears, various anti-inflammatory drops, special drops made from the person’s own blood, or the use of plugs that increase the loss of tears (punctal plug).

Eyelash Fund Inflammation

There are glands at the base of the eyelashes that are responsible for producing oil. Disruption of the functions of these glands and inflammation of the base of the eyelashes is called blepharitis . It occurs with symptoms such as swelling of the eyelids and eyelash roots, redness in the eyes and eyelash roots, tired appearance, constant stinging and itching sensation, light sensitivity and the desire to blink frequently.

It is possible to make a diagnosis with some tests performed during an eye examination. Different treatment methods are followed depending on the type of inflammation. Treatment methods such as tear drops, anti-inflammatory drops, massage, cleaning and opening the channels are followed.

What Diseases Does Using Contact Lenses Cause?

Since contact lenses come into direct contact with the eyes, they can cause various problems. First of all, the person who will use lenses must use a lens suitable for their eye structure. For this purpose, appropriate lens sizes for the person are determined through special examinations.

Contact lenses are placed directly on the cornea. Contact lens use can cause various damage to the eye due to severe dryness, infection, allergy, injury and oxygen deprivation of the cornea.

It is possible to prevent any damage that may occur by making a timely diagnosis and following the correct treatment methods. Additionally, individuals who use contact lenses should pay as much attention to hygiene as possible. It is possible to prevent the negative effects that may occur if lenses are used by complying with hygiene rules.

At this point, it is important to remember that removing contact lenses, which are known to be suitable for monthly use , every evening, or even when you come home from outside if possible, and cleaning them with solution will increase your comfort. Monthly lenses do not mean lenses that are not removed for 1 month. Daily lenses are simpler to use. You throw away the daily lens you put on in the morning in the evening and put on a new daily lens the next morning.

What is Eye Flesh?

Pterygium , also known as pterygium , is a disease whose cause is not fully known. It develops depending on hereditary characteristics and external factors such as sun, wind and dusty environment. Pterygium surgery may be required to treat the disease .

However, there is a risk of the disease developing again after surgery. This risk feature is also known to be higher in younger patients. There are different methods used to prevent recurrence. We significantly reduce the risk of recurrence by using autograft (tissue transplantation from intact conjunctiva) and tissue adhesive methods in the seamless eyelid surgeries we perform in our clinic .

What is Keratoconus?

The cornea, the outermost part of our eye, has a dome shape. The fact that this shape is different from the normal and has a pyramidal-spherical structure, that is, it becomes conical, is called keratoconus . The word “conus” in the name of the disease describes this conical formation.

Normally, the corneal structure is known to be quite strong and resistant. However, there are cases when this structure is softer or less resistant than normal. In these cases, keratoconus disease may develop. The cornea, which is pushed by the intraocular pressure, begins to sharpen over time, causing the quality of vision to decrease.

As the sharpness increases, keratoconus occurs. It is estimated that hereditary factors, scratching the eye area and external factors of the living area play a leading role in the formation of the disease. Not scratching the eyes is very important for people with allergies to reduce the risk of keratoconus.

Keratoconus Symptoms

Keratoconus symptoms generally stand out as follows;

• Blurred vision problem, especially at night
• A decrease in vision quality
• Continuous progress of glasses degree
• Inability to obtain clear images despite using glasses
• Differences between the degree measured by the doctor and the degree of glasses
• Desire to rub eyes
• dazzle
• Hypersensitivity to light
• High degrees of astigmatism

We cannot say that these symptoms are definitely seen in keratoconus disease, but they are seen in a significant portion of patients. In addition, the disease can sometimes progress without showing any symptoms. If you have these symptoms, it is recommended that you see a specialist physician and be examined.

The disease generally develops more rapidly between the ages of 15 and 35. In cases where progression occurs continuously and slowly, it may be challenging to fully recognize the disease. In cases where it progresses too much, it can have negative consequences, including vision loss.

Especially since the two eyes progress to different degrees, patients may have difficulty in realizing this situation because they see clearly with the other eye, even if one eye is very advanced. Although rare, the disease can develop after the age of 45. In some extreme cases, cracks may occur in the protective inner membrane of the eye. In these cases, the outer surface of the cornea collects water and turns white.

Keratoconus Treatment

There are different methods for the treatment of keratoconus ; in the first stage, vision can be increased with hybrid lens treatment, and corneal cross-linking, or colloquially known as radiation therapy, can be applied to slow down the progression of the disease. Another method is the corneal ring method, and it is placed inside the eye, that is, the cornea, with a ring-shaped piece. This piece, placed by laser method, eliminates the sharpness of the cornea that causes keratoconus .

Although the inserted part has a transparent structure, it can be used throughout life without any problems. There is no need for hospitalization after the surgery, and patients are usually able to continue their normal lives within 1 day. In advanced keratoconus patients , corneal transplantation treatment may be required. In addition, in recent years, topography-guided laser treatment has begun to be applied to suitable patients.

For your questions about corneal diseases, you can contact us via our Whatsapp contact line.

What is Cornea Transplantation?

Cornea is a tissue that has the ability to renew its own surface. However, the inner part of the cornea, which constitutes almost 95%, does not have the ability to renew itself. Therefore, diseases that progress to this area may result in damage that may cause permanent visual impairment.

If individuals with such diseases do not respond to treatment and there is no improvement, corneal transplantation may be required. With corneal transplantation , the transparent part of the eye taken from a healthy individual is transplanted to an individual with a cornea problem .

It can be done as a full or half layer. Cornea transplantation is known as an organ transplant with a high rate of success. The biggest reason for this is that it is a vascular tissue. For this reason, situations such as tissue rejection are less common. Cornea surgery may be necessary in the following cases:

• Corneal infections such as keratoconus, keratitis
• Injury to corneal tissue
• Presence of hereditary factors causing corneal diseases
• Damage to the cornea after eye surgery

What is Artificial Cornea? Who Does It Apply To?

Artificial cornea , also known as keratoprosthesis  , can be tried if corneal transplantation fails. It is preferred in cases where corneal transplantation fails despite repeated attempts and the patient completely loses his or her vision.

The patient’s condition must be closely monitored during and after this surgery, which is performed with special techniques. The success rate in keratoprosthesis application stands out as 60 – 70%.

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