A cloudy cornea is a loss of transparency of the cornea.

Corneal opacification; Corneal edema

The cornea makes up the front wall of the eye. It is normally clear. It helps focus the light entering the eye.

Causes of cloudy cornea include:

• Inflammation
• Sensitivity to non-infectious bacteria
• Ulcers on the eye
• Infection
• Keratitis
• Trachoma
• River blindness
• Swelling due to glaucoma, birth injury, or Fuchs' dystrophy
• Dryness of the eye due to Sjogren syndrome, vitamin A deficiency, and sometimes after LASIK eye surgery
• Dystrophy (inherited metabolic disease)
• Keratoconus
• Injruy to the eye, including chemical burns and welding injury
• Scarring

Consult your health care provider. There is no appropriate home care.

Contact your health care provider if:

• The outer surface of the eye appears cloudy
• You have trouble with your vision

Note: It is appropriate to see an ophthalmologist for vision or eye problems. However, your primary health care provider may also be involved if a whole-body (systemic) disease is suspected.

Your doctor or nurse will examine your eyes and ask questions about your symptoms and medical history, such as:

• Did the cornea become cloudy quickly, or did it develop slowly?
• When did you first notice this?
• Does it affect both eyes?
• Is there any history of injury to the eye?
• Do you wear contacts?
• Do you have any trouble with your vision?
• If so, what type (blurring, reduced vision, or other) and how much?

Tests may include:

• Biopsy of lid tissue
• Computer mapping of the cornea (corneal topography)
• Schirmer's test for eye dryness
• Special photographs to measure the cells of the cornea
• Standard eye exam
• Ultrasound to measure corneal thickness

Abbott RL, Halfpenny CP, Zegans M, Elander TR. Acanthamoeba Keratits. In: Tasman W, Jaeger EA, eds. Duane’s Ophthalmology. 2012 ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2012:vol 4;chap 18A.

Yanoff M, Cameron D. Diseases of the visual system. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Cecil Medicine. 24th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2011:chap 431.

Sharma R, Brunette DD. Ophthalmology. In: Marx JA, ed. Rosen’s Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier; 2009:chap 69.

Newlin AC, Wadia H, Sugar J. Corneal and external eye manifestations of systemic disease. In: Yanoff M, Duker JS, eds. Ophthalmology. 3rd ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby Elsevier; 2008:chap 4.25.