Does having keratitis once make you more likely to get it again? i had a really bad case of keratitis, with corneal ulcers. do i need to be extra careful with my eyes to be sure i don't get it again?

To : To short answer is a definite "yes." as has been pointed out above, "keratitis" is a rare condition when one looks at the entire population. There are many forms and many causes. A there is typically a "trigger" that can be identified by your eye care professional. Sometimes this trigger may be present forever making recurrence likely (herpes simplex infection / rosacea keratitis). Sometimes the trigger may be easy to control and stop (contact lens wear). Therefore, if it is a factor caused about by your activity (ie contact lens wear), experience tells me you are likely to get it again if you continue with contact lens use. If a patient experiences cornea scaring and vision loss due to contact lens use, i typically recommend an alternative vision correction method. Another episode of infection or inflammation is very likely to lead to more vision loss - in general we should do everything to control preventable forms of vision loss.

It : It is very unusual for a person to have keratitis. There is usually a 'cause' such as use of contact lenses, exposure to dirty/dusty environment, swimming in a dirty water, etc... Assess what might have caused your keratitis and avoid it. Most common cause tend to be the use of contact lenses, please never sleep with them, clean them well regularly, and minimize its use.