What are some possible causes of recurrent Filamentary Keratitis?

Filamentary keratitis refers to a condition where strands of mucus stick to the surface of the cornea. This causes eye irritation and a foreign body sensation, especially when blinking.

Any of a number of conditions which affect the surface of the eye can cause this to happen.

Such conditions include aqueous tear deficiency, corneal exposure (inability to close the eye fully), previous eye surgery such as a corneal transplant, and miscellaneous other conditions such as severe allergic conditions associated with bumps under the eyelid called papillae.

Do consult with a doctor for a comprehensive eye check up if you have this condition, as appropriate treatment can help a lot in improving the comfort of the eye.

Filamentary keratitis is unusual in young individuals like yourself. They are composed of filaments of degenerated epithelium cells and mucus that adhere to the corneal surface causing pain, irritation and photophobia.

The most common causes include aqueous deficiency dry eyes, cornea exposure, Sjogrens syndrome or other ocular surface abnormalities. Treatment is targeted at the underlying cause, and usually involves some surface anti-inflammatories (fluorometholone), ocular lubricants and even manual debridement of the filaments.

Filamentary keratitis is a result of mucus strands sticking onto the front of the eye (cornea) which cause discomfort, tearing, redness and blurring of vision. These symptoms often get better when the eyes are closed.

Dry eye due to imbalance in tear film components is an eye condition that is heavily associated with recurrent filamentary keratitis. Other causes include abnormal corneal surface, systemic conditions, poor eye closure (lagophthalmos), droopy eyelid, etc.

It is best for you to see an ophthalmologist as there are treatments that can help improve your eye condition.