Keratitis: Corneal Inflammation and Infection, Including in Contact Lens Wearers
Quick answer: Keratitis is inflammation of the cornea, the clear front window of the eye. It can be infectious (bacteria, fungi, viruses such as herpes, or acanthamoeba) or non-infectious (dry eye, injury, UV burn). Contact lens wearers have a much higher risk, especially if they sleep in lenses or let them touch water. Pain, redness, light sensitivity and blurred vision in a lens wearer need same-day eye care, as untreated keratitis can scar the cornea and reduce vision permanently.
Noticed this in your own eyes? Book an eye examination (NPR 400) with an optometrist at Vision Concern Lazimpat, Boudha-Tushal or Makalbari. WhatsApp +977 9841466716.
Related service: Contact lens fitting and safe lens care at Vision Concern Lazimpat, Boudha-Tushal and Makalbari.
Symptoms
- Eye pain, often worse than expected for the redness
- Redness and watering
- Light sensitivity
- Blurred vision
- A white spot on the cornea
- Feeling of something in the eye
Main causes and risks
- Sleeping or showering in contact lenses
- Rinsing lenses or cases with tap water; swimming in lenses
- Poor lens or case hygiene; overwearing lenses
- Eye injury, especially from plant material (fungal risk)
- Cold sores (herpes simplex)
- Severe dry eye or UV exposure, such as snow blindness
Treatment
Infectious keratitis is treated urgently by an ophthalmologist with antibiotic, antifungal or antiviral drops, sometimes hourly at first. Bring your contact lenses and case so they can be tested. Do not use leftover steroid drops, as they can make some infections much worse.
When to get urgent care
Remove contact lenses and get same-day eye care at an eye hospital or emergency department if you have eye pain, redness, light sensitivity or blurred vision, especially as a contact lens wearer.
How Vision Concern can help
Vision Concern optometrists in Kathmandu can examine your eyes, record what they find for comparison, update your glasses or contact lenses, and refer you to an ophthalmologist or eye hospital when medical treatment is needed. Vision Concern does not perform surgery or injections.
Frequently asked questions
Is keratitis contagious?
Most keratitis is not passed person to person, but viral forms linked to conjunctivitis can spread. Wash hands and do not share towels.
Can keratitis cause blindness?
Severe or untreated infectious keratitis can scar the cornea and permanently reduce vision, which is why urgent treatment matters.
How do I prevent contact lens keratitis?
Never sleep, swim or shower in lenses unless prescribed, use fresh solution, replace cases regularly and keep water away from lenses.
This guide is general information from the Vision Concern editorial team. It is not a diagnosis and does not replace an eye examination or medical advice.
Yes. Many visitors, particularly from Bangladesh and West Bengal (Kolkata), come to Nepal for cataract, retina, or other eye surgery at a hospital and also want new glasses, a general eye exam, or contact lenses at the same time, before or after their procedure. Vision Concern is an optical and eye-examination clinic, not a surgical hospital, so we work alongside hospitals such as Tilganga: we are happy to see you for glasses, contact lenses, or a routine check-up either side of your surgical treatment elsewhere.
No conversion is needed. Eyeglass prescriptions from Germany, France, the UK, the USA, China, Russia, and almost every other country use the same international format, SPH (sphere), CYL (cylinder), and AXIS, measured in diopters. Our opticians read this directly, so you can bring your prescription paper, a photo of it on your phone, or simply your current glasses, and we will use the same values. If your prescription is more than a year or two old, we recommend a quick, free re-check before we make your new pair.
Yes. Above roughly 3,000 metres, UV exposure increases sharply because of the thinner atmosphere and reflection off snow, and ordinary sunglasses (category 2-3) do not block enough UV to prevent snow blindness (photokeratitis). We recommend glacier glasses or category-4 sunglasses with side shields, and can fit these with your own prescription if needed. Vision Concern offers ZEISS polarized, UV400-certified sunglasses with prescription lenses, which we can prepare before you set off on your trek.