Corneal Ulcer
A corneal ulcer is an open sore of the cornea. There are a wide variety of causes of corneal ulcers, including infection, physical and chemical trauma, corneal drying and exposure, and contact lens overwear and misuse. Corneal ulcers are a serious problem and may result in loss of vision or blindness.

Symptoms
Symptoms of corneal ulcers include:

Redness of the eye
Severe pain and soreness of the eye
The feeling of having something in your eye
Tearing
Pus or other discharge
Blurred vision
Sensitivity to light
Swelling of the eyelids
A white spot on your cornea that you may or may not be able to see when looking in the mirror

What does a corneal ulcer look like?
A corneal ulcer will often appear as a gray to white opaque or translucent area on the normally clear and transparent cornea.

Causes of Corneal Ulcer
Bacterial infections cause corneal ulcers and are common in contact lens wearers. Viruses that may cause corneal ulcers include the herpes simplex virus (the virus that causes cold sores) and the Varicella virus (the virus that causes both chickenpox and shingles) if it involves the upper eyelid and tip of the nose (herpes zoster ophthalmicus). Fungal infections can cause corneal ulcers and may occur with improper care of contact lenses or overuse of eyedrops that contain steroids.

Parasites like Acanthamoeba may also cause corneal ulcers.

Tiny cuts or scratches in the corneal surface may become infected and lead to corneal ulcers.

Any condition that results in a loss of sensation of the corneal surface may increase the risk of corneal ulceration.

Chemical burns or other caustic (damaging) solutions splashing into the eye can injure the cornea and lead to corneal ulceration.

Treatment of Corneal Ulcer
Antibiotic, antifungal or antiviral eye drops are treatment of choice.Pain killer may be prescribed to reduce the pain.

Surgery : If the ulcer cannot be controlled with medications or if it threatens to perforate the cornea, the patient may require an emergency corneal transplant.

Prevention from Corneal Ulcer
Wear eye protection when exposed to small particles that can enter the eye.
Use artificial teardrops to keep the eyes lubricated.
Contact lenses wearer needs to be extremely careful about cleaning and wearing the lenses.