Interstitial keratitis diagnosis and treatment.

ABSTRACT

Interstitial keratitis is a non-ulcerative, non-suppurative, more or less vascularized inflammation of the corneal stroma. The corneal lesions result from the host response to bacterial, viral (40% of cases) or parasitic antigens, or from an autoimmune response (1% of cases) without active corneal infection. The natural history of the disease is divided into two phases acute and cicatricial. This type of keratitis is less common than ulcerative bacterial keratitis, but it is a non-negligible cause of visual loss. It is associated with systemic or infectious disease and requires early diagnosis and appropriate treatment to optimize visual prognosis and avoid other complications.