AIM:To explore the characteristics of keratopathy in Ningxia Region.METHODS:Totally 181 cases of keratopathy who were hospitalized in our hospital from Jan.2008 to Aug.2010 were analyzed.RESULTS:Among the 181 cases of keratopathy,92.3%(167 cases)were infectious keratopathy,7.7%(14 cases)were bullous keratopathy,chemical and thermal burns of cornea,exposure keratitis,immune corneal ulcer.Among the infectious keratopathy,viral keratitis was the main cause,accounting for 54.2%(98 cases);bacterial corneal ulcer was second,accounting for 17.7%(32 cases);then fungal keratitis accounting for 17.1%(31 cases);mixed keratopathy 3.3%(6 cases).The incidence of fungal keratitis in countryside was obviously higher than that of in-town,while there was significant difference between them(P<0.01).The incidence of viral keratitis in Han Majority People was the same as that in Hui Minority People,and there was no significant difference between the two People(P>0.05),which was in accordance with former opinion that the incidence of viral keratitis was not associated with race.There was no significant difference between the positive rate of cytological examination of cornea scrapers and the positive rate of germiculture(P>0.05).The positive rate of hyphae of cornea scraper examination was rather high at 31.7%.The positive rate of pathogen examination was 45.3%,lower than the average rate of the country.CONCLUSION:Among all kinds of keratopathy in Ningxia Region,infectious keratopathy is the chief type,while simple herpes keratopathy is the main type of infectious keratopathy.The incidence of simple herpes keratopathy in Hui Minority People is the same as that in Han Majority People,which is in accordance with former opinion.Cell scraper examination is convenient and no need of special machine.The method is quick and can be repeated easily.Cell scraper examination can be the routine examination of infectious keratopathy.