Since a corneal ulcer is painful, can I apply a topical anesthetic to the cornea?
A topical anesthetic is often used to numb the cornea so the diagnostic tests may be performed. However, these drugs often delay healing and should be used with discretion. How do I know when to discontinue medication? The best way to tell that the cornea has healed is to repeat the fluorescein stain test. This will be performed by your veterinarian 5-7 days after treatment has begun. There appear to be some red streaks near the ulcer. Is that normal? The normal cornea has no blood vessels in it. However, when a corneal ulcer or descemetocele occurs, the body tries to heal by growing new blood vessels through a process called neovascularization. The new vessels begin at the sclera (the white part of the eye) and cross the cornea to the ulcer. Neovascularization is a good response because it indicates healing. However, after the ulcer is healed, these vessels remain in the cornea. They are not painful, but they do obstruct vision. Therefore, it is desirable to remove them. This is done
