Background: Corneal ulcers are a leading cause of preventable visual impairment, particularly in developing countries. Variations in epidemiology, etiology, and outcomes are influenced by regional, occupational, and socioeconomic factors.
Aim: To study the epidemiology, management strategies, and clinical outcomes of corneal ulcers in patients attending a tertiary care hospital.
Methods: This OPD-based cross-sectional study included 150 patients with clinically and microbiologically confirmed corneal ulcers. Epidemiological data, risk factors, etiological profile, clinical features, management strategies, and outcomes were analyzed. Patients were followed for up to six months. Statistical analysis was performed using appropriate tests, with p ≤ 0.05 considered significant.
Results: Most patients were aged 41–60 years (48.66%) with a slight male predominance (54%). The majority belonged to lower socioeconomic strata (71.3%). Ocular trauma was the most common predisposing factor (74.7%). Fungal keratitis was the predominant etiology (54%), followed by bacterial (25.3%) and viral keratitis (16%). Morphological features showed a strong correlation with etiology (p < 0.001). Surgical intervention was required in 4.7% of cases, limited to bacterial and fungal ulcers. Favorable visual outcomes (≥6/60) were achieved in 74.6% of patients. Delayed presentation, larger ulcer size, fungal etiology, prolonged healing time, and poor compliance were significantly associated with poor outcomes (p < 0.001).
Conclusion: Corneal ulcers predominantly affect middle-aged individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, with trauma-related fungal keratitis being the most common etiology. Early diagnosis, appropriate management, and good treatment compliance result in favorable outcomes. Preventive strategies and early referral are crucial to reduce corneal-related visual impairment.