Fungal keratitis
| Keratomycosis | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Mycotic keratitis, keratomycosis, oculomycosis |
| Specialty | Infectious diseases |
| Symptoms | Eye pain, blurred vision, red eye, eye discharge, photophobia, corneal ulceration |
| Complications | Blindness |
| Causes | Pathogenic fungi: Fusarium, Aspergillus, Candida, |
| Differential diagnosis | Other corneal infections |
| Frequency | >1 million/year, M>F |
Fungal keratitis is a fungal infection of the cornea, which can lead to blindness. It generally presents with a red, painful eye and blurred vision. There is also increased sensitivity to light, and excessive tears or discharge.
It is caused by fungal organisms such as Fusarium, Aspergillus or Candida. Up to 70 different fungi have been found as causes.
Fungal keratitis has a worldwide distribution, but is more common in the tropics. Around 1 million people become blind every year due to fungal keratitis. Theodor Leber first described a case of fungal keratitis caused by Aspergillus in 1879.