What causes keratitis? The result of the combined action of internal and external factors

The occurrence of keratitis is the result of the combined action of internal and external factors. The external factors are the damage, shedding and infection of corneal epithelial cells; while the internal factors are endogenous diseases from the whole body.

1. Causes

1. External factors: Most corneal infections caused by external factors must meet two conditions:

a. Damage and shedding of corneal epithelial cells.

b. Simultaneous infection.

Infectious corneal ulcers are likely to occur only when both of these conditions are met.

2. Internal factors:

Refers to endogenous diseases that come from the whole body. The cornea has no blood vessels, so acute infectious diseases are less likely to invade the cornea. However, corneal tissue participates in the systemic immune response, although the degree of its immune response is lower than that of other tissues. But precisely because it has no blood vessels and has a slower metabolism, the immune response changes are long-lasting. The cornea is in a sensitive state for a long time, making it easy to develop allergic diseases such as bullous keratitis.

3. Caused by spread from adjacent tissues: Due to embryological homology and anatomical continuity, diseases that spread to the corneal epithelium mostly come from the conjunctiva. For example, severe conjunctivitis is often accompanied by superficial keratitis.

2. Prevention

1. Develop good personal hygiene habits, pay attention to cleanliness at all times, wash your hands frequently with soap, and keep them dry.

2. Avoid rubbing your eyes with your hands.

Rubbing your eyes with your hands can cause a lot of harm, especially to children. Children are very active and their hands are always dirty. If they rub their eyes with dirty hands, some germs will be brought into the eyes and cause eye inflammation. Sometimes, sand on their hands will be rubbed into their eyes.

When playing with a child with eye disease, rubbing his eyes with your hands may cause the child to be infected with the same eye disease. If one eye is red and itchy, rubbing the eye with your hands will transmit the disease to the other eye. If sand or other foreign objects get into your eyes, rubbing your eyes with your hands will be like rubbing your eyes back and forth with a grinding wheel, causing damage to the black eye epithelium. In severe cases, infection may occur. If your eyes itch, you can use anti-inflammatory eye drops. When sand gets into your eyes, you should first rinse them with anti-inflammatory eye drops and then go to the hospital for treatment. Never rub your eyes with your hands.

3. Try to avoid going to crowded public places during the epidemic.

4. During the epidemic period, you should try to avoid swimming in public swimming pools.

5. Avoid shaking hands with patients and touching towels, soap, bedding, door handles, faucets, etc. used by patients.

6. After the patient recovers, the quilts and towels used should be washed and thoroughly exposed to the sun.

7. Patients should maintain physical and mental health, not stay up late, not drink alcohol, not smoke, etc., in order to effectively prevent or alleviate symptoms.