Non-Infectious Keratitis: What You Need to Know

Contact lens misuse is one of the most common causes of non-infectious keratitis. This includes wearing lenses longer than recommended, sleeping in daily wear lenses, or not cleaning them properly. Even with good hygiene, wearing lenses too long can cut off oxygen to your cornea, causing swelling and irritation without an infection.

Physical damage to the eye can trigger keratitis. Common injuries include scratches from fingernails, makeup brushes, or tree branches. Chemical exposure from cleaning products or other substances can also cause corneal inflammation.

Small particles can scratch the cornea and cause inflammation.

• Dust, sand, or metal shavings
• Makeup particles or debris
• Plant materials like pollen or leaves
• Small insects or fibers

Too much UV light can damage the cornea, causing a condition called photokeratitis. This often happens from reflected sunlight off snow, water, or sand. It can also occur from looking at welding equipment without proper protection.

When your eyes don't make enough tears or the tears dry up too quickly, the cornea can become irritated. This ongoing dryness can lead to keratitis. Our eye doctors offer complete dry eye treatment to help prevent this problem.

Sometimes your body's immune system reacts to bacteria on your eyelids, causing inflammation near the edge of your cornea. Autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and Sjögren's syndrome can also cause corneal problems. Severe allergic reactions can lead to inflammation as well. These conditions often come back if the underlying cause isn't treated.

Damage to corneal nerves reduces feeling and slows healing, leading to persistent problems. This most commonly happens after herpes simplex virus infections of the eye or after eye surgery. It can also occur with diabetes complications or long-term use of certain eye drops. Without proper nerve function, even small injuries don't heal well.

Long-term use of certain eye drops, especially those with preservatives, can cause toxic reactions that lead to keratitis. Some medications like topical pain relievers can also delay healing and worsen corneal problems.

Our eye doctors ask detailed questions about your symptoms and what might have caused them. We review your contact lens use, recent activities, medications, autoimmune conditions, and medical history. This information helps us understand the likely cause of your keratitis.

We test how well you can see using eye charts and other vision tests. This helps us understand how much your keratitis affects your vision. We compare the affected eye to your healthy eye to measure the impact.

Using a special microscope called a slit lamp, we examine your cornea in detail. This lets us see the extent of inflammation and any damage to the corneal surface. The examination is painless and gives important information about your condition.

We may use special dyes to highlight damaged areas of your cornea. Fluorescein dye glows green under blue light to show scratches or missing cells. Lissamine green dye helps us see surface damage and dry spots. These tests help us see the full extent of the problem.

If we see signs that might suggest infection, we may take samples from your eye for testing. This ensures we use the right treatments safely. Some treatments for inflammation can be harmful if an infection is actually present.

If we suspect dry eye or nerve problems, we test tear quality and corneal sensation. These specialized tests help us understand if these conditions are contributing to your keratitis and need specific treatment.

Contact ReFocus Eye Health immediately if you have sudden, severe eye pain that doesn't improve with over-the-counter pain medication. Severe pain can mean serious corneal damage that needs prompt treatment to prevent permanent problems.

Any sudden decrease in vision should be checked right away. Even if the vision loss seems small, it could mean progressive damage that needs immediate attention. Don't wait to see if it gets better on its own.

While non-infectious keratitis doesn't involve germs initially, it can sometimes become infected.

• Thick, yellow or green discharge
• Worsening pain despite treatment
• Increasing redness and swelling
• White or gray spots on the cornea

Contact lens wearers should seek immediate care if they develop eye pain, redness, or vision changes while wearing lenses. Remove the lenses right away and call our office. Never ignore these symptoms or try to keep wearing lenses.

If you get any chemical in your eye, rinse immediately with clean water for at least 15 minutes, then contact us right away. Even if symptoms seem mild at first, chemical burns can get worse over time and cause serious damage.

No, non-infectious keratitis cannot spread to other people because it's not caused by germs. However, it's still important to practice good hygiene and avoid sharing eye makeup or contact lens supplies to prevent other types of eye infections.

In most cases, you'll need to stop wearing contact lenses until your eye fully heals. Continuing to wear lenses can slow healing and increase the risk of complications. Our eye doctors will tell you when it's safe to start wearing lenses again and may recommend different types.

Healing time depends on what caused your keratitis and how severe it is. Minor cases may get better in a few days, while more severe cases can take several weeks. Following your treatment plan and avoiding things that irritate your eyes helps speed recovery.

Most cases of non-infectious keratitis heal without lasting vision problems, especially when treated quickly. However, severe cases or delayed treatment can sometimes cause permanent changes. This is why seeing our ophthalmologists quickly when symptoms start is so important.

Keratitis affects the cornea, while pink eye affects the thin layer covering the white part of the eye. Keratitis is generally more serious and more likely to cause vision problems. Both can cause redness and discomfort but need different treatments.

While keratitis usually affects one eye, it can sometimes involve both eyes, especially if caused by conditions like severe dry eye, autoimmune diseases, or exposure to irritants. Each eye may be affected differently and need individual treatment approaches.

While preservative-free artificial tears may provide some comfort, it's important to see our eye doctors for proper diagnosis and treatment. Some over-the-counter drops, especially those with preservatives or redness reducers, can actually make keratitis worse.

Yes, eye makeup can cause keratitis if it gets into the eye or if you have an allergic reaction to ingredients. Old or contaminated makeup is particularly risky. Always remove makeup gently and replace eye products regularly to reduce your risk.

Steroid eye drops can help reduce inflammation in certain types of non-infectious keratitis when used under professional guidance. However, they must be avoided if infection is suspected because they can make infections worse. Our ophthalmologists carefully evaluate each case before prescribing steroids.

Topical pain-relieving drops should be used with caution and only under medical supervision, as they can delay healing and worsen some types of keratitis. Oral pain medications are usually safer for managing discomfort.

Seek immediate care for severe pain, sudden vision loss, a white spot on your cornea, extreme sensitivity to light, or worsening symptoms despite treatment. Early care prevents scarring and lasting vision problems.

Yes, severe dry eye syndrome can cause a type of keratitis called dry eye keratitis. This happens when the cornea doesn't get enough moisture and becomes damaged. Managing dry eyes with proper treatment helps prevent this complication.

It depends on how much the keratitis affects your vision and light sensitivity. If you have blurred vision, see halos around lights, or have severe light sensitivity, you should avoid driving until your eye heals. Ask your eye doctor when it's safe to drive again.

While stress doesn't directly cause keratitis, it can worsen dry eyes and make you more likely to rub your eyes, which can lead to corneal irritation. Managing stress and avoiding eye rubbing helps protect your corneal health.

Most cases of non-infectious keratitis heal with medications and don't need surgery. However, severe cases with complications like deep scarring or corneal perforation may require surgical treatment to restore vision and eye health.

Yes, keratitis can return, especially if the underlying cause isn't addressed. People with dry eyes, autoimmune diseases, or recurring eyelid problems are more likely to have repeat episodes. Following prevention strategies and treating underlying conditions helps reduce this risk.

Signs of improvement include less pain, reduced redness, clearer vision, and less sensitivity to light. However, healing can be gradual and sometimes seems to go backward before improving. Keep all follow-up appointments so your doctor can monitor your progress properly.

Yes, wearing sunglasses indoors can help with light sensitivity while your eye heals. Choose sunglasses that block UV light and provide comfortable vision. Your light sensitivity should improve as your keratitis heals.