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Educational content only
This page is general patient education, not medical advice. It does not diagnose conditions, recommend specific treatments for you, or replace a conversation with your eye care provider. Always consult a qualified clinician before making decisions about your eye health.
A corneal ulcer is a serious infection of the clear front window of the eye. It's painful, can damage vision quickly, and needs treatment within hours — not days.
What helps
Here's the plan — and why it works.
Day one
Corneal culture
Your eye doctor scrapes a sample to identify the specific organism. Treatment may start before results are back — this is too urgent to wait.
Mainstay
Frequent antibiotic drops
Fortified topical antibiotics (often two drops, alternating every 30–60 minutes around the clock at first). Yes, that's exhausting — and it's how we save eyes.
If fungal
Antifungal drops
Fungal ulcers — often from organic material in the eye like a tree branch — need natamycin or voriconazole. They heal more slowly than bacterial ulcers.
Severe
Hospitalization
Very large, deep, or central ulcers may need inpatient care. If the cornea perforates, surgical patching or a corneal transplant may be needed.
Same-day emergency if
You wear contacts and develop eye pain, redness, light sensitivity, or blurred vision — especially after sleeping in contacts or swimming in them. This is not a 'see how it feels tomorrow' situation.
Common questions
Honest answers to common questions.
Why are contact lens wearers at higher risk?+
Contacts create a closed environment on the cornea that traps bacteria, especially when slept in or contaminated by water. Sleeping in contacts and exposing them to tap water are the two biggest risk factors.
Can I treat it with over-the-counter drops?+
No. Eye-redness drops don't kill the infecting organism and can mask warning signs. This is a same-day emergency, not a home-treatment situation.
Will my vision come back?+
Most small ulcers leave little or no permanent vision loss. Large, central, or deep ulcers can leave scarring that needs glasses, specialty contacts, or in some cases a corneal transplant to address.
How long until it heals?+
Bacterial ulcers usually start improving within 48 hours of intensive treatment. Total healing takes 2–6 weeks. Fungal and amoebic ulcers can take months.
Can I get this from my contacts even if I clean them?+
Yes, though properly cared-for lenses are much lower risk. The biggest factors are: never sleep in contacts, never expose them to tap water (including showering), and replace them on schedule.