Epidemiology and treatment of fungal keratitis

Infectious keratitis in most cases is caused by bacterial, viral or fungal agents, but their structure is changing. Some researchers have noted a substantial increase in fungal corneal lesions in recent decades, but important local etiological therapy remains unavailable in developing countries. While bacterial keratitis and ophthalmoherpes are controlled by widely available local etiotropic therapy, treatment of keratomycosis in the Russian Federation is carried out with off-label medicine. Lack of skills and availability of diagnostic methods and official etiotropic therapy creates unequal conditions for ophthalmology specialists in the fight against ophthalmomycosis. In part, this causes a reduced level of «myco-caution», which leads to long-term ineffective treatment using antibacterial drops, lasting suffering of patients, and results in the loss of the eye functionally and - in some cases - anatomically. Therefore, the study of fungal keratitis remains relevant. The article provides an overview of research data on current epidemiology in different regions of the world, analyzes available antifungal drugs and the prospects for development of affordable and effective treatment of fungal keratitis.