The difference between keratitis and conjunctivitis is mainly in the site of onset, symptoms and signs.
1. Site: Keratitis occurs in the cornea, while conjunctivitis occurs in the conjunctival tissue.
2. Symptoms: Keratitis is characterized by eye pain, photophobia, tearing, and blepharospasm, which are known as ocular irritation. These symptoms can persist until the inflammation subsides, and keratitis is usually accompanied by varying degrees of vision loss. Conjunctivitis symptoms mainly include foreign body sensation, burning sensation, itchy eyes, photophobia, tearing, etc. The symptoms of vision loss and pain are usually not obvious.
3. Signs: Typical signs of keratitis are ciliary congestion, corneal infiltration and ulceration, and corneal leukoplakia. Signs of conjunctivitis include conjunctival congestion, conjunctival discharge, papillary hyperplasia, follicle formation, bulbar conjunctival edema, subconjunctival hemorrhage, and enlarged lymph nodes in front of the ear, which do not usually involve the cornea.
Patients with conjunctivitis and keratitis are advised to seek prompt medical attention to assess their condition and follow medical advice.