The Relationship Between Microbial Eye Infections and Visual Acuity: A Comparative Study of Visual Acuity in Patients with Microbial Ocular Infections (Published)
Microbial infections of the eye, particularly infectious keratitis, can damage the cornea and cause clinically important visual impairment. The effect on visual acuity varies with the type of microorganism, anatomical site, ulcer size and depth, time to treatment, and the presence of corneal scarring. To examine the relationship between microbial ocular infection and visual acuity and to propose a comparative framework for assessing visual acuity across bacterial, fungal, viral, and protozoal infections. Methods: This research is designed as a comparative observational study. Visual acuity should be measured using a standardized Snellen chart and converted to logMAR . Patients should undergo ophthalmic examination and microbiological confirmation where clinically indicated. Groups may be compared according to the identified microbial category and infection severity. More severe corneal involvement, central lesions, delayed presentation, and stromal scarring are expected to be associated with poorer visual acuity. Microbial ocular infection is an important potentially preventable cause of visual impairment. A structured comparison of visual acuity with microbiological and clinical characteristics can help identify factors associated with poor visual outcomes.
Keywords: bacterial keratitis, corneal ulcer, fungal keratitis, infectious keratitis, microbial eye infection, viral keratitis, visual acuity, visual impairment