Update on the management of fungal keratitis

Purpose: The aim of this article is to introduce the recent advance on the studies of fungal keratitis published over past 5 years.

Methods: We performed literature review of articles published on PubMed, Google Scholar, CNKI and Web of Science relevant to the diagnosis, pathogenesis and novel treatment of fungal keratitis.

Results: Excessive inflammation can lead to stromal damage and corneal opacification, hence the research on immune mechanism provides many potential therapeutic targets for fungal keratitis. Many researchers discussed the importance of earlier definitive diagnosis and were trying to find rapid and accurate diagnostic methods of pathogens. Develop new drug delivery systems and new routes of administration with better corneal penetration, prolonged ocular residence time, and better mucoadhesive properties is also one of the research hotspots. Additionally, many novel therapeutic agents and methods have been gradually applied in clinical ophthalmology.

Conclusion: The diagnosis and treatment of fungal keratitis are still a challenge for ophthalmologist, and many researches provide new methods to conquer these problems.