Corneal Opacity

What is Corneal Opacity?

Corneal opacity is an eye disorder that occurs due to the scarring of the cornea, making the cornea appear cloudy or white. The cornea is a dome-shaped transparent structure on the front of the eyeball that allows light to pass into the eyes. Corneal opacity may cause vision problems since the light rays are stopped from passing through the cornea onto the retina (at the back of the eye). You may experience decreased or loss of vision, pain, redness, and sensitivity to light.

Causes of Corneal Opacity

Corneal opacity may be a result of :

• Injury
• Infection or certain diseases. Infections such as measles, herpes simplex, or conjunctivitis may increase its risk.
• Deficiency of vitamin A
• Congenital corneal abnormalities may also cause corneal opacity.
• Overnight or extended use of contact lenses increases the chances of developing eye infections and in turn corneal opacity.

Your doctor will diagnose corneal opacity by reviewing your medical history and the symptoms that you have been experiencing. A complete eye examination will be conducted using a specialized microscope.

Treatment for Corneal Opacity

Treatment for corneal opacity depends on the cause and severity of scarring. Your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic or steroidal eye drops, or oral medications to treat the condition. Surgery may be recommended in some cases to remove the scar tissue. Surgery is performed by using the following procedure: