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A corneal ulcer is an open sore on the cornea, theclear structure overlying the iris, which is the colored part of your eye. Most corneal ulcers are caused by infections.
People who wearlenses are at an increased risk of corneal ulcers. In fact, your risk of corneal ulcerations increases 10-fold when using extended-wear soft contact lenses. Extended-wear contact lenses are those contact lenses that are worn for several days without removing them at night. Contact lenses can damage your cornea in many ways.
- Scratches on the edge of your contact lens can scrape the cornea’s surface and make it more open to bacterial infections.
- Similarly, tiny particles of dirt trapped underneath the contact lens can scratch the cornea.
- Bacteria may be on the lens or in your cleaning solutions and, thus, get trapped on the undersurface of the lens. If your lenses are left in your eyes for long periods of time, these bacteria can multiply and cause damage to the cornea.
Wearing lenses for extended periods of time can also block oxygen to the cornea, making it more susceptible to infections.
Corneal Ulcer Symptoms
- Red eye
- Severe pain
- Feeling that something is in your eye
- Tears
- Pus or thick discharge draining from your eye
- Blurry vision
- Pain when looking at bright lights
- Swollen eyelids
- A white round spot on the cornea that is visible with the naked eye if the ulcer is very large