Keratic precipitates are listed as a cause of corneal haziness and are associated with which process?

• A. Inflammation or immune response
• B. Bacterial infection only
• C. Hypermature cataract
• D. Retinal detachment

Answer: (A)

Keratic precipitates reflect an inflammatory/immune process inside the eye. They are deposits of inflammatory cells on the corneal endothelium that form when the blood-aqueous barrier is disrupted during anterior uveitis or other intraocular inflammations. This inflammation causes corneal haze because the endothelium with its cellular deposits scatters light and can be accompanied by edema. While infection can trigger inflammation, these precipitates themselves signify an inflammatory/immune response rather than a primary bacterial infection, cataract change, or retinal detachment, which involve other tissues and mechanisms.