eMedicine Specialties > Emergency Medicine > Ophthalmology

Corneal Ulceration and Ulcerative Keratitis: Follow-up

Author: Trevor John Mills, MD, MPH, Chief of Emergency Medicine, Veterans Affairs Northern California Health Care System; Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Dec 2, 2009

Follow-up

Further Inpatient Care

  • For patients with corneal ulcers, the emergency physician should contact an ophthalmologist while the patient is still in the emergency department. Timely consultation can be arranged at this time.

Complications

  • The complications of corneal ulcer can be devastating. Corneal perforation, although rare, can occur. Corneal scarring may develop, resulting in partial or complete loss of vision. Anterior and posterior synechiae, glaucoma, and cataracts also can develop.

Prognosis

  • Corneal ulcerations should improve daily and should heal with appropriate therapy.
  • If healing does not occur or the ulcer extends, consider an alternate diagnosis and treatment.

Patient Education

Miscellaneous

Medicolegal Pitfalls

  • Attempting to treat in the ED and not obtaining an immediate ophthalmology consultation
 
Acknowledgments

The authors and editors of eMedicine gratefully acknowledge the contributions of previous authors, Jerome FX Naradzay, MD, and Wesley S Grigsby, MD, to the development and writing of this article.



More on Corneal Ulceration and Ulcerative Keratitis

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Treatment & Medication: Corneal Ulceration and Ulcerative Keratitis
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References
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Further Reading

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Keywords

corneal ulceration, ulcerative keratitis, corneal ulcer, peripheral ulcerative keratitis, PUK, corneal infiltrative events, corneal ulcer disease, Mooren's ulcer, Mooren ulcer, corneal melt, treatment, diagnosis, symptoms

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Trevor John Mills, MD, MPH, Chief of Emergency Medicine, Veterans Affairs Northern California Health Care System; Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center
Trevor John Mills, MD, MPH is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, American Public Health Association, Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, Southern Medical Association, and Wilderness Medical Society
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

William K Chiang, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, New York University School of Medicine; Chief of Service, Department of Emergency Medicine, Bellevue Hospital Center
William K Chiang, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Clinical Toxicology, American College of Medical Toxicology, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine
Disclosure: eMedicine Salary Employment

Managing Editor

Douglas Lavenburg, MD, Clinical Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Christiana Care Health Systems
Douglas Lavenburg, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

John D Halamka, MD, MS, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Chief Information Officer, CareGroup Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School; Attending Physician, Division of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
John D Halamka, MD, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Informatics Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Barry E Brenner, MD, PhD, FACEP, Professor of Emergency Medicine, Professor of Internal Medicine, Program Director, Emergency Medicine, University Hospitals, Case Medical Center
Barry E Brenner, MD, PhD, FACEP is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Chest Physicians, American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Physicians, American Heart Association, American Thoracic Society, Arkansas Medical Society, New York Academy of Medicine, New York Academy of Sciences, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

 
 
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