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      • The AOA Resource Guide for Employed/Affiliated Optometrists: PDF Version
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    • An Optometrist's Guide to Clinical Ethics
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      • Recommended Curriculum For The Teaching of Professionalism and Ethics in Optometry: Part 1
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Bacterial Corneal Ulcer Signs

• PDF Version

Bacterial Corneal Ulcer Signs & Symptoms

Treatment

The course of treatment depends on whether the ulcer is sterile or infectious. Bacterial ulcers require aggressive treatment. In some cases, antibacterial eye drops are used every 15 minutes. Steroid medications are avoided in cases of infectious ulcers. Some patients with severe ulcers may require hospitalization for IV antibiotics and around-the-clock therapy. Typically, sterile ulcers are treated by reducing the eye's inflammatory response using steroid drops, anti-inflammatory drops, and antibiotic drops.