What is the role of corneal scrape culture in suspected keratitis?

• A. To identify the causative organism and determine antifungal/antibiotic susceptibility when possible
• B. To measure the intraocular pressure
• C. To assess tear production
• D. To visualize blood vessels in the cornea

Answer: (A)

In suspected keratitis, the goal of corneal scrape culture is to identify the organism causing the infection and guide therapy. The collected corneal material is analyzed directly and then cultured on appropriate media so bacteria, fungi, or other pathogens can be grown and identified. If possible, susceptibility testing is done to choose the most effective antibiotic or antifungal and to avoid using agents that won’t work. This targeted approach is crucial because keratitis can be caused by a range of organisms that require different treatments, and empirical therapy may be insufficient or harmful in some cases. Procedures like measuring intraocular pressure, assessing tear production, or visually inspecting corneal blood vessels don’t reveal the infectious agent or its susceptibilities, so they don’t fulfill this role.