[An analysis of 1,048 cases of corneal disease]

1,048 cases (1,360 eyes) of corneal disease during 1982 to 1987 with complete records were analyzed. It was found that the ratio of incidences between male and female was about 2:1, and the age was predominantly (66.5%) from 21 to 50 years. The leading blinding corneal disease was herpes simplex keratitis, and bacterial and mycotic infections were mostly associated with trauma. The pathogenesis of marginal keratitis was mainly an autoimmune process, and the high incidence (43.9%) of punctate superficial keratitis was surprising. Corneal disease due to vitamin A deficiency still occurred occasionally in children. The findings indicated that most corneal blindness was preventable through hygienic measures and promotion of general health.