Corneal ulcer, or
ulcerative keratitis, is an inflammatory or more seriously, infective condition of the
cornea involving disruption of its
epithelial layer with involvement of the corneal
stroma. It is a common condition in humans particularly in the tropics and the agrarian societies. In developing countries, children afflicted by Vitamin A deficiency are at high risk for corneal ulcer and may become blind in both eyes, which may persist lifelong. In ophthalmology, a corneal ulcer usually refers to having an infectious etiology while the term corneal abrasion refers more to physical abrasions.