A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW ON FUNGAL KERATITIS

Abstract

Fungal keratitis is a major inflammatory disease which affecting the cornea and visual impairment worldwide, particularly in tropical and developing regions. This disorder is often linked to risk factors such as eye injuries, prolonged contact lens wear, exposure to agricultural settings and weakened immune systems. The key pathogens identified are species of Aspergillus, Candida, and Fusarium. Managing fungal keratitis presents significant challenges, factors such as insufficient corneal drug penetration, limited ocular bioavailability, extended treatment regimens, increasing antifungal resistance and the risk of systemic side effects frequently complicate the achievement of optimal outcomes. These hurdles can lead to patients not sticking to their treatment plans, which can impact their recovery. Additionally, delays in clinical diagnosis and the limited effectiveness of traditional diagnostic methods can allow the disease to progress, sometimes causing complications like corneal opacity, thinning, perforation, and even permanent vision loss. Recent studies show that fungal keratitis is becoming more advanced. They highlight how the immune response of the host, the virulence factors of the fungus, and the formation of biofilms can sometimes make treatments less effective. Innovative ways to treat fungal infections, like using advanced drug delivery systems for the eyes and combining different therapies. This review really gets into the practical facts of fungal keratitis talking about how common it is, what causes it, how it impacts the body, the latest clinical trials, how we go about diagnosing it, and what treatment options are available at the moment.