Corneal Ulcers Flashcards
Label the corneal anatomy
A) Epithelium
B) Stroma
C) Descemet’s membrane= basement membrane
D) Endothelium
How much of the cornea is stroma?
90%
Why are there nerve endings in epithelium and stroma of the cornea?
–Superficial lesions can be more painful than deeper lesions
–Cornea is very sensitive
–This is for protection to allow the eye to blink when something painful touches
What maintains the cornea in a dehydrated state?
Endothelial ‘pump’
How does oedema occur in the cornea?
–Increased water content distorts collagen fibrils which creates opacity (cloudy eye)
–Occurs when barrier layers (epithelium and endothelium) breached/dysfunctional
Why is the cornea well vascularised?
To promote healing
How does the cornea epithelium heal?
–Cells SLIDE rapidly across defect (hours to days) to cover defect
–Mitosis
–Outer multi cell layer. “walk across corena” with feet
How long does it take for the cornea to re-epithelialise?
7 days
How does the corea stroma heal?
–Stromal healing only starts once defect is ‘covered’ by epithelial layer
–Regeneration from fibroblasts (weeks)
How does the descemets membrane heal?
–Elastic, limited ability to repair
What is the cornea’s epithelium healing like?
Very poor ability to repair
Name 7 causes of ulcers (9)
- Adnexal condition
- Eyelids
–Entropion (inversion of eyelid margin)
–Ectropion (eversion of eyelid margin)
–Eyelid margin mass
–Trauma e.g. cat fight
•Eyelashes
–Distichiasis (extra eyelashes)
–Ectopic cilia (extra eyelash from palpebral conjunctiva)
•Conformation
–Trichiasis (normal skin hairs contacting eye, e.g. nasal fold trichiasis)
–Lagophthalmos in brachycephalic breeds (see later)
•Trauma
–Common
–FB, abrasion, laceration
–Chemical burns (serious but uncommon)
•Tear film problem
–Dry eye (quantitative - very common in dogs)
–Qualitative tear film problem (less common)
•Primary corneal disease
–Spontaneous chronic corneal epithelial defect (SCEDD)
–Epithelial defect – will be open to infection. The infection eeps the baddies out so when you loose this the lesion is susceptible to colonisation!
•Infection
–Usually secondary to trauma to allow bacterial colonisation
–Bacterial keratitis
–Fungal keratitis (uncommon)
•Neurological disease
–Neuroparalytic keratitis (facial nerve paralysis, unable to blink)
–Neurotrophic keratitis (reduced or absent corneal sensation, trigeminal nerve problem); uncommon.
What is this?
Distichiasis
(extra eyelashes)
How might an eye wart cause an ulcer?
Pedcunculated
What is seen?
Dry eye KCS
Ulcers secondary to dry eye often have a circular ‘punched out’ appearance and deteriorate rapidly
Name 2 reasons brachycephalic dogs are at risk of ulcers (3)
•Shallow orbit results in prominent globe
–Reduced blinking (lagophthalmos)
–Poor distribution of tear film
- Medial lower entropion
- Nasal fold trichiasis
What is normal in brachycephalic cats which can go on to cause an ulcer? E.g. Persian cats
Medial lower
entropion.
What is this?
Hint: Pekingese dog
Nasal fold trichiasis and stromal ulcer
All the hairs are rubbing on the medial cornea = ulcer
Name clinical signs of corneal ulcers
•Pain - classic TRIAD of ocular pain
1) Increased lacrimation (high STT)
2) Blepharospasm - closing eye
3) Photophobia - avoiding bright light
- Conjunctival hyperaemia - a ‘red eye’
- Ocular discharge
- Corneal oedema
- Reflex uveitis – tends to be 2dry
How can we diagnose corneal ulcers?
- Direct observation
- Palpebral and corneal reflex
- STT – ensure no dry eye
–Eye might be too painful!
–Sometimes there is so much liquid this is pointless
- Fluorescein dye
- Corneal cytology (histopathology)
- Corneal culture & sensitivity
How can we highlight fluorescin dye further?
Blue light e.g. wood lamp
Name a structure fluorescin dye does NOT stain (2)
–Intact corneal epithelium (hydrophobic)
–Descemet’s membrane
Using the arrows label the corresponding ulcers
A) Superficial ulcer
B) Stromal ulcer
C) ADescemetocele