What is Corneal Scar Tissue?
Corneal scar tissue can be defined as any opacity on or within the corneal surface. Healthy corneas are transparent and allow light to pass through to the retina, unobstructed. Corneas with scar tissue, however, can cause distortion or complete vision obstruction, depending on the severity.
Causes
May be caused by injury to the cornea (abrasion, laceration, burns, or disease); depending on the degree of scarring, vision can range from a blur to total blindness. Surface abrasions, although extremely painful, heal transparently (do not leave scars). Deeper abrasions and ulcerations/lacerations result in a loss of cornea tissue, which is replaced by scar tissue. Scars left from burns depend on the type and depth of burn: boiling water or a curling iron leave superficial scarring; acids or alkalines cause deeper damage, unless neutralized immediately. Scarring from disease, usually an inflammation, is usually the result of a proliferation of new blood vessels into the clear cornea, to assist in the healing process. Diseases which cause vascularization include herpes simplex, syphilis, and keratitis.
Symptoms
- Distorted vision
- Blurred vision
- Eye pain
- Tearing
- Redness
- Extreme sensitivity to light
Treatment
Treatment options vary depending on how advanced your corneal scarring is, but in most cases, medically necessary contact lenses are effective at correcting visual distortion caused by the condition. Scleral contact lenses are typically most successful at correcting corneal scarring, but if they fail to correct your vision adequately, corneal transplants may be an option.
If you are experiencing the symptoms above and would like to schedule an appointment for a complete eye exam, please call or text our office today at (214) 739-8611.