Diagnosis and testing for Fungal Eye Infections

Two sides of a Petri dish containing left and right contact lenses from a patient with Fusarium keratitis.

To diagnose a fungal eye infection, your eye doctor will examine your eye and might take a small sample of tissue or fluid from your eye. The sample will be sent to a laboratory to be examined under a microscope or cultured. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and confocal microscopy are also being used as newer, faster forms of diagnosis; however, culture is the standard method for the definitive diagnosis of a fungal eye infection.