What’s the difference between a corneal ulcer and keratitis?

What’s the difference between a corneal ulcer and keratitis?

These eye conditions are closely related.

A corneal ulcer is an open wound — a loss of corneal tissue — that’s often the result of an eye infection.

Keratitis is a more general term for a group of disease processes that cause inflammation of your cornea. Eye infection, injury and wearing contact lenses too long — some of the same causes of corneal ulcer — also cause eye inflammation. Keratitis can lead to a corneal ulcer.

Both conditions can lead to vision loss.