Abstract
Purpose: Corneal ulcer is one of the major causes of blindness in developing countries Predisposing factors related to corneal ulcer are trauma, chronic ocular surface disease, contact lens usage, ocular surgery, corneal anaesthetic abuse, Diabetes mellitus, Vitamin deficiency, immunodeficiencies. Bacteria and fungi are frequently responsible for suppurative corneal ulcers. This study attempts in finding the etiology of corneal ulcers and its profile of clinical presentation and response to treatment in patients attending to a rural based hospital.
Setting: Study was conducted and the data was collected at Mamata General Hospital, Khammam
Design: The study design is a prospective cross-sectional study without any masking.
Methods: The present study of aetiology and treatment of corneal ulcer was undertaken on the patients attending to Ophthalmic department of Mamata General Hospital, Khammam from September 2011 to September 2013. All the patients with corneal ulcers were identified and were selected for the study with the following inclusion and exclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: 1.Patients with corneal ulcers above 2 years of age. 2.All stages of corneal ulcer.
Exclusion criteria: 1.Infants with corneal ulcers 2. Peripheral corneal ulcers with autoimmune etiology 3.Moorens ulcer
Results: This study gives
1.The nature of trauma in relation to etiology of corneal ulcers, and its statistical significance.
2.The level of visual improvement with varied locations of ulcer over cornea and its statistical significance.
3.The level of visual improvement with varied etiology of corneal ulcer and its statistical significance.
4.To analyse possible method of reducing the incidence of corneal ulcers.
Conclusions: In the study of 200 cases, it is observed that better results are obtained if the following measures are taken in the management of corneal ulcers: Health Education, Early Diagnosis, Immediate Treatment
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