TO STUDY BACTERIAL PHENOTYPIC CHARACTERIZATION AND ANTIMICROBIAL SUSCEPTIBILITY PATTERN OF CORNEAL ULCER ISOLATES FROM CLINICAL CASES AT TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Background: Corneal ulcers are a significant cause of ocular morbidity and can lead to vision impairment or blindness if untreated. Bacterial infections contribute substantially to corneal ulceration, and the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) presents challenges in treatment. This study aims to evaluate the bacterial phenotypic characteristics and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of bacterial isolates from corneal ulcer cases at a tertiary care hospital.