What are Persistent Corneal Ulcers?

Persistent corneal ulcers is a disease that appear when the tear film that protects the cornea is affected by different environmental factors.

The cornea, located in the front part of the eyeball, is exposed to harsh environmental conditions (e.g. air, temperature and toxins). The tear film that protects it, helps keep it healthy by constantly renewing its cells.

When the balance between cell defence and repair is affected by different factors, a persistent corneal ulcer can be triggered.

The incidence of this type of impact on the cornea is quite high, as it encompasses very different clinical symptoms: dry eye affects 30% of the population over 60 years of age; herpes simplex keratitis is also one of the most frequent causes of ocular morbidity; and occupational eye injuries occur in 1% of the working population each year.