Corneal haze describes a cloudy or opaque appearance of the cornea.
The cornea is the clear front window of the eye.
It is the part of the eye that transmits and focuses light into the eye.
IAN HOOTON / SPL
The cornea is a fairly complex structure that has five layers.
The cornea is normally clear, so corneal haze can greatly impair your vision.
Symptoms of Corneal Haze
Corneal haze may cause vision to be blurry, unfocused or obscured.
It can also cause halos to be visible around light, especially at night or in the dark.
IAN HOOTON / SPL
Causes
Corneal haze most often appears after trauma, infection, or surgery.
It is usually because of inflammatory cells and other debris that is activated inside the eye.
Corneal haze can also occur during laser vision correction procedures.
In more severe cases, a doctor may prescribe eye drops or other medication.
Corneal haze is usually successfully treated in post-laser surgery patients with medicated eye drops.
The symptoms of seeing halos and glare usually resolve before the haze fully disappears.
However, haze is not common in LASIK patients, even when the amount of correction is high.
Also, using certain eye drops during surgery reduces the probability of developing corneal haze.
Ask your eye surgeon for recommendations.
A Word From Verywell
The symptoms of corneal haze are not always associated with refractive surgery.
Corneal haze can be because of serious problems that may require immediate attention.
If you develop symptoms of corneal haze, it is best to see an eye doctor immediately.
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