What does a punctate lesion of the cornea look like?

This problem appears as fine, scattered areas of loss of epithelium from the cornea – the clear part of the surface of the eye. The lesions appear punctate (looking like dots or points) but sometimes can appear dendritic (linear and branching). Superficial punctate keratitis is uncommon and not communicable.

What is punctate keratopathy?

Superficial punctate keratitis is an eye disorder caused by death of small groups of cells on the surface of the cornea (the clear layer in front of the iris and pupil). The eyes become red, watery, and sensitive to light, and vision may decrease somewhat.

What is punctate epithelial keratopathy?

The punctate epithelial keratitis (PEK) is a distinct clinical entity characterized by coarse, raised intraepithelial lesions surrounded by focal inflammatory cells, with punctate staining as well as areas of negative staining on fluorescein. PEK is often a clinical picture common to various cornea pathologies.

What causes SPK?

This condition can be caused by wearing contact lenses too long, the eyes being over exposed to the sun, chemicals or other strong substances getting into the eyes, severely dry eyes, and viral or bacterial infections.

How is SPK diagnosed?

Diagnosis of Superficial Punctate Keratitis During the examination, the doctor may apply eye drops that contain a yellow-green dye called fluorescein. The fluorescein temporarily stains damaged areas of the cornea, making it possible to see damaged areas that are not otherwise visible.

What is punctate opacity?

Definition. Punctate opacification (reduced transparency) of the corneal stroma. [ from HPO]

What causes punctate epithelial erosions?

Punctate epithelial erosions are associated with the following: viral keratitis, especially molluscum contagiosum; inclusion conjunctivitis; herpetic keratitis/postinfectious herpetic keratitis; rubeola and rubella; keratitis sicca; exposure keratitis; vernal conjunctivitis; topical steroids; and vaccinia.