Which condition could lead to ghost vessels in the cornea?

Ghost vessels in the cornea are indicative of a prior inflammatory process that has led to vascularization of the cornea, followed by regression of those vessels. In the context of fibrosis, it is particularly relevant because after a period of inflammation or injury, the healing process can lead to the formation of fibrous tissue and subsequent regression of newly formed blood vessels, resulting in these ghost vessels.

Fibrosis can occur as a response to various insults such as chronic inflammation or injury to the cornea. When the initially formed blood vessels from the neovascularization (which occurs in response to injury or chronic inflammation) regress, they can leave behind a ghostly appearance in the cornea where you can see the outlines of the vessels that were once present but are no longer actively supplying the area with blood. This is often seen in cases of corneal scarring where the normal clear corneal structure is disrupted by abnormal repair processes.

In contrast, other conditions like uveitis, deep corneal ulcers, and corneal graft rejection involve inflammation or direct damage that can lead to persistent blood vessel formation or other changes in the cornea rather than the ghost vessel appearance resulting from vascular regression.