Cloudy cornea
Corneal opacification; Corneal scarring; Corneal edema
A cloudy cornea is a loss of transparency of the cornea.
The eye is the organ of sight, a nearly spherical hollow globe filled with fluids (humors). The outer layer or tunic (sclera, or white, and cornea) is fibrous and protective. The middle layer (choroid, ciliary body and the iris) is vascular. The innermost layer (the retina) is nervous or sensory. The fluids in the eye are divided by the lens into the vitreous humor (behind the lens) and the aqueous humor (in front of the lens). The lens itself is flexible and suspended by ligaments which allow it to change shape to focus light on the retina, which is composed of sensory neurons.
The cornea is a transparent structure that covers the iris. Certain metabolic diseases, trauma, infectious diseases, nutritional deficiencies and environmental situations may cause the cornea to be less transparent and cloudy. If the cornea becomes cloudy, it can lead to various degrees of vision loss.
Causes
The cornea is the front wall of the eye. It is normally clear. It helps focus the light entering the eye.
Causes of cloudy cornea include:
- Inflammation of the cornea
- Sensitivity to non-infectious bacteria or toxins
- Infection of the cornea
- Keratitis
- Trachoma
- River blindness
- Corneal ulcers
- Swelling (edema)
- Acute glaucoma
- Birth injury
- Fuchs dystrophy
- Dryness of the eye due to Sjögren syndrome, vitamin A deficiency, or LASIK eye surgery
- Corneal dystrophy (inherited metabolic disease)
- Keratoconus
- Injury to the eye, including chemical burns and welding injury
- Tumors or growths on the eye
- Pterygium
- Bowen disease
Clouding may affect all or part of the cornea. It leads to different amounts of vision loss. You may not have any symptoms in the early stages.
Home Care
Contact your health care provider. There is no appropriate home care.
When to Contact a Medical Professional
Contact your provider if:
- The outer surface of your eye appears cloudy.
- You have trouble with your vision.
Note: You will need to see an ophthalmologist (eye doctor) for vision or eye problems. However, your primary care provider may also be involved if the problem could be due to a whole-body (systemic) disease.
What to Expect at Your Office Visit
The provider or eye doctor will examine your eyes and ask about your medical history. The two main questions will be if your vision is affected and if you have seen a spot on the front of your eye.
Other questions may include:
- When did you first notice this?
- Does it affect both eyes?
- Do you have trouble with your vision?
- Is it constant or intermittent?
- Do you wear contact lenses?
- Is there any history of injury to the eye?
- Has there been any discomfort? If so, is there anything that helps?
Tests may include:
- Biopsy of eyelid tissue
- Computer mapping of the cornea (corneal topography)
- Schirmer test for eye dryness
- Special photographs to measure the cells of the cornea
- Standard eye exam
- Ultrasound to measure corneal thickness
References
Cioffi GA, Liebmann JM. Diseases of the visual system. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 391.
Kataguiri P, Kenyon KR. Corneal and external eye manifestations of systemic disease. In: Yanoff M, Duker JS, eds. Ophthalmology. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 4.25.
Kuborn AM, Hassan SE. The impact of vision loss on attitudes toward autonomous vehicles: a vision-centric analysis. Optom Vis Sci. 2024 ;101(6):424-34. PMID: 38990241
Patel SS, Zaguia F, Goldstein DA. Episcleritis and scleritis. In: Yanoff M, Duker JS, eds. Ophthalmology. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 4.11.
Wang EY, Kong X, Wolle M, et al. Global trends in blindness and vision impairment resulting from corneal opacity 1984–2020: A meta-analysis. Ophthalmology. 2023:130(8):863-71.PMID: 36963570
Version Info
Last reviewed on: 8/5/2024
Reviewed by: Franklin W. Lusby, MD, Ophthalmologist, Lusby Vision Institute, La Jolla, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
