Definition

Noun: * Inflammation of the cornea: A medical condition characterized by the inflammation of the cornea, the clear, dome-shaped surface that covers the front of the eye. This inflammation typically causes symptoms such as pain, redness, excessive tearing (watery eyes), and impaired vision.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Herpes simplex virus is a common cause of infectious keratitis.
  • The patient was diagnosed with bacterial keratitis after wearing contaminated contact lenses.
  • Symptoms of keratitis include severe eye pain and photophobia (sensitivity to light).

Advanced Usage

• "Ulcerative keratitis": A severe form of keratitis where the inflammation leads to an open sore or ulcer on the cornea.
  • Ulcerative keratitis is a sight-threatening condition that requires immediate treatment.
• "Non-infectious keratitis": Keratitis caused by factors other than pathogens, such as a severe dry eye syndrome, an autoimmune disease, or physical injury.
  • His keratitis was determined to be non-infectious, stemming from chronic dry eye.

Variants and Related Words

• Keratic (adj): Pertaining to the cornea.
  • Keratic precipitates are inflammatory cells on the cornea.
• Keratopathy (n): A broader term for any disease or disorder of the cornea, which may or may not involve inflammation.
  • Exposure keratopathy is damage to the cornea from inadequate eyelid closure.

Synonyms

• Corneal inflammation: The literal descriptive synonym for keratitis.
• (Note: In medical terminology, specific types are often used instead of a single synonym, e.g., for ulcerative keratitis).

Related Medical Terms (Not Phrasal Verbs/Idioms)

• Conjunctivitis: Inflammation of the conjunctiva (the thin membrane covering the white part of the eye and inner eyelids), often confused with but distinct from keratitis.
• Uveitis: Inflammation of the uvea, the middle layer of the eye, which is a different structure from the cornea.
• Corneal ulcer: A specific, often severe complication of infectious keratitis.

Noun

1. inflammation of the cornea causing watery painful eyes and blurred vision