Q: I am 30 yrs old male and will be marrying soon. I lost one eye due to corneal ulcer when I was 8 yrs old. Can this cause any deformity/defect in my baby and how can this be checked.

A:You lost one of your eyes due to a corneal ulcer. An ulcer on the cornea (front transparent part of the eye) can be due to an infection (bacterial, viral or fungal) or it may be due to an inflammatory disease (rheumatoid arthritis and other collagen vascular diseases). If your ulcer was due to an infection, then there is no increased risk of ulcer or any deformity in your baby. Of course like you got the corneal ulcer, your baby may too get it just like anyone else could - the risk is the same as for anyone unrelated to you. It is therefore important to maintain eye health and to seek immediate attention for a red eye especially if there is accompanying discharge or pain. Seek immediate care if the eye is injured. This is a general advice, valid for everyone - adults and babies. The non-infectious conditions that can lead to a corneal ulcer do have a hereditary basis, but I do not think there will be any problem for your baby. Congratulations on getting married and enjoy the baby.