Corneal Ulcer
An ulcus of the cornea is a breakdown and loss of substance of the corneal tissue. Typically, an ulcus is caused by a bacterial, fungal or viral infection. An ulcus of the cornea may lead to a number of major changes: the cornea loses its transparency to light and becomes opaque, which can massively reduce vision. Furthermore, the loss of corneal tissue leads to an increase in irregular astigmatism, which further reduces visual acuity and the quality of the optical image. These changes cannot be corrected for with glasses. Therefore, patients should always be seen rapidly by an ophthalmologist, if an ulcus of the cornea is suspected.
