brief review of the fungal ocular infections and their therapy

ABSTRACT

Generally, fungal elements invading the eye belong to the category of airborne saprophytes. Diagnosis is made by characteristic clinical features, specific staining, and culture on Sabouraud's dextrose agar without cycloheximide. It is necessary that several colonies of the same fungus be isolated for a specific diagnosis. The therapy of fungal infection is based on agents from three groups, polyenes, imidazoles, and fluorinated pyrimidines. Of these, amphotericin B, natamycin [both polyenes], ketoconazole, and miconazole are currently the most popular, natamycin holding the lead