الفهرس 
INTRODUCTIONOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Infective corneal ulcer is an ocular emergency that requires prompt and appropriate management to ensure the best visual outcome for the patient. Thus, careful clinical examination, aided by laboratory investigations, could help in correct diagnosis and proper management.
Microbial keratitis in children is a serious, vision-threatening condition associated with a high incidence of amblyopia. Children differ from adults in many ways, including difficulty in patient examination, level of inflammation, difficulty in administering topical medications, and risk of amblyopia
Many clinicians tend to treat empirically, without initially collecting cultures, whereas such laboratory investigations prior to treatment remain the standard of care at hospitals and University Medical Centers
The study was conducted on a prospective observational study Over 12 months, that included 33 children had microbial keratitis in a tertiary eye care center in Egypt. It is a prospective observational study. Every case had been subjected to a detailed history-taking, a standardized ophthalmological examination.
All patients were treated with broad spectrum antibiotics or antifungals and only 11 cases needed to be cultured. The treatment was modified there after according to the response of the case and the culture results. Then follow up was initially on an alternate day basis, till significant improvement was available.
The following results were obtained:
● The mean age of the enrolled children was 11.48 ± 4.60 years, with a range from 8–15 years.
● 15 (45.5%) male patients and 18 (54.5%) female patients.
● The most common risk factor was ocular plant trauma was found in 11 cases (33.3%).
● History of recurrence in 7 (21.2%) patients who had viral keratitis.
● most of the cases suffered from severe pain (69.7%) which was measured by their parents
● As regards visual acuity, 10 (30.3%) had HM.
● Central ulcers were present in 19 eyes (57.6%), and the mean size was (3.76 ± 0.87)
● Clinically, bacterial keratitis was presented in 14 eyes (42.4%), fungal keratitis was in 10 eyes (30.3%), viral keratitis was in 7 eyes (21.2%), and acanthamoeba was in 2 eyes (6.1%).
● The culture showed that out of the 8 culture-positive cases, Pseudomonas was the commonest bacteria isolated and was found in 3 eyes (27.3%), followed by acanthamoeba found in two eye (18.2%), Klebsiella, Staphylococcus aureus, and Staphylococcus epidermidis were found in 1 eye (9.1%) for each organism