▁and ▁conj unct ival ▁ep ith el ium ▁ ▁Classification ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁Mack ie ' s ▁classification , ▁ne uro t roph ic ▁ker at itis ▁can ▁be ▁divided ▁into ▁three ▁stages ▁based ▁on ▁sever ity : ▁ ▁Stage ▁I : ▁character ized ▁by ▁alter ations ▁of ▁the ▁cor ne al ▁ep ith el ium , ▁which ▁is ▁dry ▁and ▁op aque , ▁with ▁super f icial ▁pun ct ate ▁ker at op ath y ▁and ▁cor ne al ▁o ed ema . ▁Long - last ing ▁ne uro t roph ic ▁ker at itis ▁may ▁also ▁cause ▁hyper pl asia ▁of ▁the ▁ep ith el ium , ▁st rom al ▁sc arring ▁and ▁ne ov asc ular ization ▁of ▁the ▁cor nea . ▁▁ ▁Stage ▁II : ▁character ized ▁by ▁development ▁of ▁ep ith el ial ▁defect s , ▁often ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁near ▁the ▁centre ▁of ▁the ▁cor nea . ▁ ▁Stage ▁III : ▁character ized ▁by ▁ul cers ▁of ▁the ▁cor nea ▁accompanied ▁by ▁st rom al ▁o ed ema ▁and / or ▁mel ting ▁that ▁may ▁result ▁in ▁cor ne al ▁per for ation . ▁ ▁Tre at ment ▁ ▁Early ▁diagn osis , ▁target ed ▁treatment ▁according ▁to ▁the ▁sever ity ▁of ▁the ▁disease , ▁and ▁regular ▁monitoring ▁of ▁patients ▁with ▁ne uro t roph ic ▁ker at itis ▁are ▁critical ▁to ▁prevent ▁damage ▁pro gression ▁and ▁the ▁occurrence ▁of ▁cor ne al ▁ul cers , ▁especially ▁considering ▁that ▁the ▁d eter ior ation ▁of ▁the ▁condition