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  • Corneal Pannus


    Question:

    Can you define corneal pannus? What is the treatment?


    Answer:

    Corneal pannus means the growth of fine blood vessels onto the clear corneal surface. The treatment depends on the cause. For instance, a common cause of corneal pannus is contact lens wear, particularly if the contacts are ill-fitting. In that case the contacts should be refitted, or perhaps discontinued. Sometimes a pannus may represent an old or current infection that is dangerous to vision such as can be caused by herpes simplex. Sometimes corneal pannus is not easily treated and cannot be reversed. Consult your ophthalmologist.

    This question was originally answered on Dec. 21, 2012.