A video from Sight Research UK introduces the work of Dr Beth Mills at the University of Edinburgh, exploring how better diagnosis could help protect the sight of people with microbial keratitis (corneal infections).
Microbial keratitis is an infection of the cornea, the clear window at the front of the eye. It can cause pain, redness and blurred vision, and may lead to permanent sight loss. Different types of infection need different treatments, making early, accurate diagnosis crucial.
In the video, Dr Mills focuses on fungal keratitis and explains why existing diagnostic methods can leave patients waiting for answers. She shares her team’s work to develop simple, low-cost lateral flow tests, using a format familiar from COVID-19 testing, to help healthcare professionals identify fungal infections sooner.
Supported by Sight Research UK, the research brings together laboratory development and clinical testing with partners at Aravind in India. The aim is to detect a wider range of fungi using a test that could eventually be used closer to where patients first seek help, including in communities with limited access to specialist care.
The work has shown proof of concept, but further development and validation are needed before the tests can become part of routine care. Dr Mills explains both the progress made and the challenges ahead, offering an insight into how research could help more patients receive the right treatment earlier.
Watch Dr Beth Mills’s video to learn more about microbial keratitis and the research working towards faster diagnosis.
Viewer information: the video includes clinical photographs of eye infections, which some viewers may find distressing.
