Lecture 2: Corneal Ulceration and Perforation Flashcards
Causes of Corneal ulcers
- trauma
- corneal abrasion due to adnexal disease
- tear film deficiency
- exposure keratitis
- infection
When we talk about bacterial infections of corneal ulcers, what context is this in?
generally as a complication more than a cause of corneal ulceration
Acute superficial ulcers can progress to which 3 directions
- they can spontaneously heal
- they can progress to a mid-stromal ulcer
- they can progress to a chronic superficial ulcer
At which point can an ulcer no longer heal? How do you treat this?
when it becomes a descemetocoele;
it requires surgery to treat
what is the progression from acute superficial ulcer to corneal perforation
acute superficial ulcer –> mid-stromal ulcer –> deep stromal ulcer –> descemetocoele –> corneal perforation
Under normal circumstances, how quickly to corneal ulcers generally heal? What does healing generally depend on?
7-10 days, or quicker.
ulcer size, and any inhibiting factors that haven’t been addressed
What is the best diagnostic tool for corneal ulceration diagnosis?
the eyes and brain, searching for an underlying cause
Which diagnostic techniques MUST ALWAYS be performed when looking at eyes?
- searching for the underlying cause
- schirmer tear test
When are you likely to perform a corneal cytology or culture?
when you are concerned about a bacterial infection
What are 5 risk factors to consider with corneal ulceration?
- is tear production normal?
- can and DOES the animal blink normally?
- is the animal a brachycephalic breed or is there conformational exophtalmos?
- are there any adnexal abnormalities?
- does the ulcer appear infected?
Why are we concerned about tear production?
we want to make sure that eye is properly producing tears to lubricate the eye. Also concerned that there may be blockage, leading to other ocular issues
How do we assess normal blinking in an animal?
evaluate their menace and palpebral reflexes
What is Corneal Ulceration?
a full-thickness loss of corneal epithelium
T/F
corneal epithelial loss can vary greatly
true
What can loss of the protective barrier function of the corneal epithelium result in?
- can allow resident microbial flora to colonize the exposed corneal stroma
- predominantly bacteria, but can be fungal (keratomycosis)
what is the most common complicating factor for corneal ulcers?
secondary infection
What are diagnostics generally directed at?
- identifying the cause of the ulcer
- identifying the extent of the ulcer
- further characterizing the disease process with regard to presence/absence of infection
What variables may affect your decision to perform diagnostics?
- severity of disease (how deep/extensive the ulcer is)
- duration of disease
- presence of mucopurulent or purulent discharge (may signal an infection)
What does fluoroscein stain do?
- enhances the ability to detect corneal ulcers
why doesn’t fluoroscein stain bind to the intact corneal epithelium?
its hydrophilic, so it binds to exposed corenal stroma instead
T/F
fluoroscein isn’t helpful in monitoring the healing of ulcers
false