Keratomalacia

Keratomalacia is a progressive eye disease associated with malnutrition and vitamin A deficiency in the body. With keratomalacia, the cornea of ​​the eye softens and thins, causing it to burst or rupture.

Keratomalacia is a very serious eye disease and almost inevitably leads to blindness if not treated promptly. The cause of keratomalacia is a lack of vitamin A, which plays an important role in maintaining the normal structure and function of the cornea. Vitamin A deficiency develops with poor nutrition, especially with a lack of animal products in the diet.

Keratomalacia is closely related to another eye disease - xerophthalmia, which is also caused by a lack of vitamin A. With timely treatment with vitamin A preparations, the development of severe complications and blindness can be prevented.

Keratomulation is a progressive lesion of the cornea of ​​the eye, which is associated with a violation of its nutrition caused by insufficient treatment of the eyeball (mucous membrane of the eye). The disease leads to changes in the structure of the cornea, which becomes soft, which can lead to its rupture and loss of vision. One of the reasons for keratomulation is a lack of vitamin A in the body, which is necessary for the normal processing and restoration of corneal tissue. In this condition, redness of the mucous membrane of the eyes is observed - the conjunctiva, the follicles of the eye become less pronounced, and the teeth acquire a yellowish tint.

Keratomulation occurs unnoticed and can develop in both childhood and adulthood. This disease is dangerous because, due to its progressive development in the cornea, the skin of the eyelids (or simply the tear slit) weakens and leads to many inconveniences, such as itching, burning, and later chafing. A condition in which the skin is prone to friction leads to the formation of keratomas - red spots covering the eyelashes, eyelid skin and eyebrows. Their appearance indicates that the disease is in the middle stage of development, while a severe degree of keratomulation is manifested by complete loss of vision or the risk of damage. With proper treatment, keratomulation is curable.

Keratomalacia or keratomalization (from the Greek kerate - horn + malakia - softness, looseness) is hyperplasia of the papillae and stroma of the cornea due to chronic hypovitaminosis A (xerophthalmia), often combined with malnutrition. Keratomalacia, which develops in conditions of mass hunger and malnutrition, is very serious and almost inevitably leads to blindness, since it causes pathological changes in the initial part of the sclera. Normally, the superficial part of the sclera, in all cases with keratomalacia, becomes similar to the cornea: it becomes thinner, dullness develops, spots of opacification are scattered over the white spots (Keppelen's sign). The vessels of the sclera are displaced, become tortuous, and fragile. Ulcers may form. They enlarge and thin the upper parts of the sclera to such an extent that tears and conjunctival secretions enter through the resulting perforation. The progression of these changes leads to clouding of the cornea until the appearance of a sharp choroid and deep sclera: it becomes white