Does staining occur with an infectious ulcer?

Does staining occur with an infectious ulcer?

• A. No staining
• B. Yes, minimal staining
• C. Yes, same or greater size infiltrate
• D. Yes, more staining than inflammatory

Answer: (C)

Staining occurs with an infectious ulcer because fluorescein highlights the epithelial defect caused by the ulcer. The ulcer disrupts the corneal surface, so you see staining where the epithelium is missing. At the same time, there is a stromal infiltrate from the infection. The typical pattern is that staining is present, and the infiltrate is the same size or larger than the stained area—meaning the infiltrate can extend beyond the surface epithelial defect. This relationship helps differentiate infectious keratitis from other types of ulcers, where the staining pattern might not align in the same way.

Staining occurs with an infectious ulcer because fluorescein highlights the epithelial defect caused by the ulcer. The ulcer disrupts the corneal surface, so you see staining where the epithelium is missing. At the same time, there is a stromal infiltrate from the infection. The typical pattern is that staining is present, and the infiltrate is the same size or larger than the stained area—meaning the infiltrate can extend beyond the surface epithelial defect. This relationship helps differentiate infectious keratitis from other types of ulcers, where the staining pattern might not align in the same way.