Difficulties encountered with fungal keratitis

Purpose: The object of this work is to study the difficulties encountered with patients with fungal keratitis. Subjects and Methods: All cases with keratitis attending the Outpatient Clinic of Ophthalmology Department of Tanta University during the summer months from the first of May to the end of August of the year 2000 selected and carefully were examined and cases with mycotic keratitis were further examined and investigated. Results: Out of a total 8030 attendants during this period with different complaints, there were 50 cases (0.62 %) with mycotic keratitis and 75 cases (0.93 %) of non- mycotic origin that is the control group. Results revealed that mycotic keratits is common in age group between 40-60 years. Laboratory findings were positive in 80 % for fungal growth and negative in 20 % of cases in spite of their typical clinical findings for diagnosis and their improvement with antifungal therapy. Conclusion: Mycotic keratitis is most frequent in farmers, patients proceeded with organic trauma. Not all laboratory findings were positive, not all the cases have the typical findings for clinical diagnosis and not all the cases improved with antifungal therapy even after culture and sensitivity tests.