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Query: UMLS:C0022568 (keratitis)
 5,133 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The introduction of the hydrophilic contact lens has been a significant advance in ophthalmology for the correction of ametropia, as well as for the therapy of corneal disease. The number of potential contact lens candidates has been greatly expanded by the introduction of both spin-cast and lathe-cut lenses composed of a variety of individual hydrophilic polymers. Myopia, hyperopia, presbyopia, aphakia and moderate astigmatism can be corrected with a reasonable degree of success with the present lenses. Even in keratoconus hydrophilic lenses offer a nonsurgical alternative, especially when combined with spectacle overcorrection. The introduction of hydrophilic bandages in the treatment of corneal disease has been an important addition to the therapeutic armamentarium of the ophthalmologist. When properly applied, these lenses can provide subjective relief of pain while serving to protect the damaged cornea from the traumatic action of the lids and desiccating effects of the atmosphere. The hydrophilic material is permeable to many topically instilled medications and tends to prolong the contact time of the drugs with the corneal surface. Proper fitting of the bandage lenses can eliminate superficial corneal irregularities and, thus, improve the visual acuity while treatment progresses. Medical indications for the use of this therapy include bullous keratopathy, dry eye syndromes, chemical burns, exposure keratitis, and neurotropic keratitis. A number of recurrent erosions and ulcerations have also responded to this form of therapy. Surgical indications include lacerations, postoperative lamellar and penetrating keratoplasty, and keratectomies. One of the most promising applications concerns their use in the postoperative management of alkaline burns. Best results have been obtained by constant wear of the bandage lens, with topical administration of steroids, antibiotics, and saline solution (hypotonic or hypertonic) as indicated. The possible deleterious effects of standard ocular medication containing preservatives has been overstated. Patients receiving medications without preservatives must be placed on prophylactic antibiotics to avoid secondary infection. In many cases, the therapeutic efficacy is closely related to the diameter and curvature of the bandage lens as well as the inherent physical properties of the polymers. With meticulous fitting and close observation complications have been minimal. In many instances the results have been dramatic, but even if unsuccessful the method provides a safe and relatively simple nonsurgical alternative in the treatment of severe corneal disease. Just as with older modalities, the ultimate success or failure depends upon the intrinsic nature of the disease process as well as reasonable therapeutic application based on a knowledge of the mechanics involved.
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PMID:New aspects of contact lenses in ophthalmology. 95 43

A 63-year-old man, who had for one month been on sulfasalazine therapy, developed general malaise, high fever, severe stomatitis, and bilateral necrotizing pseudomembranous conjunctivitis with corneal erosion, identical to that seen in the Stevens-Johnson syndrome. Topical therapy with antibiotics and aprotinin rapidly healed the corneal surfaces, while densely adherent true membranes developed on the conjunctiva, and were removed surgically several times during the next week. After the acute stage, subtle subepithelial conjunctival scarring, superficial punctate keratitis, dry eye syndrome and fluctuating irregular corneal astigmatism became evident, but good visual acuity, lid function and ocular motility were retained. Histopathologic study of conjunctival membranes from two cases of membranous conjunctivitis revealed polymorphonuclear leukocytes within a matrix composed of fibrin, tenascin and fibronectin. In older membranes, histiocytes were additionally found. Surgical debridement of such membranes removes a substratum of inflammatory debris that is likely to promote secondary infection, fibrosis and symblepharon formation, and may decrease rather than increase subsequent scarring of the necrotized conjunctiva.
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PMID:Pseudomembranous and membranous conjunctivitis. Immunohistochemical features. 138 71

Microbial keratitis is a major cause of corneal blindness in developing countries. One hundred thirty-one episodes of corneal infection in 120 patients over an 11-month period from Soweto, South Africa, were reviewed. Severe staphylococcal lid disease, trauma, and the secondary infection of climatic droplet keratopathy were the major precedents. Unilateral mixed patterns of infection, bilateral keratitis, and childhood keratitis were common. Staphylococci, streptococci, or gram-negative enteric bacilli were the usual causative organisms. Admission rates of corneal perforation were high. Small perforations often could be managed medically without tissue glue. In developing countries, logistic problems necessitate subconjunctival antibiotic therapy; the nursing staff may be too overextended to satisfactorily maintain topical antibiotic regimens. Effective, inexpensive antibiotic dosing schedules, which are appropriate for use by the general medical officer and ancillary health worker, must be developed.
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PMID:Causation and management of microbial keratitis in subtropical Africa. 350 59

In a detailed study of ocular infection by herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 in mice, the course and signs of eye disease were investigated and compared in primary and secondary infection using slit-lamp examination, culture of the tear film, and monitoring of the blink reflex. Response to primary inoculation ranged from subclinical infection to severe keratitis. Compared with conjunctival scarification, corneal scarification resulted in more frequent and severe eye disease and signs of CNS infection. Previous infection in the skin of the contralateral ear considerably modified subsequent infection of the eye so that signs of disease occurred earlier, were limited to dendritic keratitis with some stromal involvement, and were largely reversible. The mouse seems to be a suitable animal for studying ocular infection with HSV.
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PMID:Ocular infection with herpes simplex virus in nonimmune and immune mice. 686 Feb 14

The development of heterotopic ossification (HO) as a complication of toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) has not been previously reported. TEN, also known as Lyell's syndrome, is a rare but serious skin disorder that typically occurs after the administration of drugs, especially sulfonamides, barbiturates, phenytoin, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents. TEN is characterized by the development of large fluid-filled bullae with separation of large sheets of skin. Complications of TEN can include extensive denudation of skin with dehydration and electrolyte abnormalities, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, acute tubular necrosis, secondary infection of denuded skin, pneumonia, bacterial conjunctivitis, keratitis, and septic infarcts of internal organs. We report a case of HO in a patient with TEN after treatment with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. A 49-year-old man developed an erythematous rash, bullae, fever, and extensive skin loss consistent with a diagnosis of TEN. He was intubated for complications of TEN (pneumonia) and maintained on bed rest for several weeks. In addition, he developed HO that resulted in multiple joint contractures. He was treated with aggressive range of motion by physical therapy, surgical resection of the HO followed by radiation to both elbows, right hip, and right knee. Postoperative outpatient rehabilitation enabled improved function in his mobility and activities of daily living. HO is known to occur after spinal cord and brain injuries and burns. It has not been reported to occur after TEN. Our experience with this case suggests that HO may merit inclusion into the list of complications of TEN.
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PMID:Heterotopic ossification as a complication of toxic epidermal necrolysis. 922 83

Ocular inflammation in children is of substantial epidemiologic importance, particularly since uveitis in children produces more vision loss than it does in adults. This is partially because there is a higher rate of posterior uveitis in childhood uveitis than in the adult population. Treatment of ocular inflammation in children, ranging from conjunctivitis to keratitis to scleritis to uveitis, depends, of course, on whether or not the problem is microbial, traumatic, malignant, or autoimmune. Most of the cases that are vision threatening are autoimmune, and corticosteroids represent the mainstay of short-term therapy. However, abundant evidence exists which shows that all too often imprudent, prolonged use of corticosteroids is employed with resultant iatrogenic damage, including cataract, glaucoma, and secondary infection.A new paradigm for treating ocular inflammation (uveitis in particular) is espoused in this article. It is based on a limited tolerance to corticosteroid use and a more proactive approach to corticosteroid-sparing immunomodulatory therapy in an effort to induce a durable remission off all corticosteroids.
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PMID:Treatment of ocular inflammation in children. 1544 68

Bacillus cereus is a gram-positive, rod-shaped, beta hemolytic bacterium which rarely causes eye infections. We present a case of 15 year old boy with unilateral keratitis. He was treated for two months by his ophthalmologist who suspected herpetic keratitis. Patient most probably suffered secondary infection by Bacillus cereus. After bacillus was identified and targeted treatment given clinical picture improved rapidly. Until now there are only few cases of bacillus cereus keratitis published.
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PMID:[Bacillus cereus keratitis--case report]. 2052 9

As a rare cause of microbial keratitis, microsporidial keratitis (MK) is first described in a patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. As increased use of topical steroid creates a localized immunosuppressive environment of the eyes, MK occurs more commonly than expected in immunocompetent patients nowadays. Owing to initial insidious growth of pathogens and nonspecific ocular symptoms of infected patients, its frequent misdiagnosis has posed a major clinical challenge in recent decades. Without appropriate treatments, MK can progress deeply into corneal stroma, anterior and posterior segments, subsequently deteriorating vision severely and ultimately requiring corneal transplant. Related risk factors for the occurrence of MK in immunocompetent individuals include contact lens wear, topical steroid use, previous corneal trauma, and a history of laser refractive surgery. The conventional standard of MK diagnosis is based on a tissue biopsy by superficial corneal scrapping. In vivo confocal laser scanning microscopy can obtain images through the cornea in a plane paralleling to the vertical axis. This approach provides an effective method of identifying tissue layers that correspond to corneal histologic structures. This current study investigates the efficacy of \textit{in vivo} confocal laser scanning microscopy in diagnosing MK in immunocompetent patients. The clinical presentations of enrolled patients, including features of slit lamp biomicroscopy and the histopathological results of corneal scrapping, were described. In these patients, the confocal microscopy identified multiple small intracellular hyper-reflective dots in the cytoplasm of corneal epithelial cells and stromal keratocytes. Additionally, the confocal microscopic images clearly revealed the enhanced cytoplasm of cell with intracellular round hyper-reflective dots. The size and morphology of hyper-reflective dots were compatible with the spores of microsporidia found in corneal tissue. Moreover, vision recovered after topical use of antimicrobial medicine. This observation suggests that in vivo confocal laser scanning microscopy provides a rapid, non-invasive, and high resolution scheme for diagnosing MK. In addition to diminishing the risk of secondary infection from epithelial defect created by superficial debridement, this approach facilitates early diagnosis and appropriate treatments. Furthermore, from a series of images taken during the clinical courses, this method is highly promising for use in monitoring treatment effects and identifying the recurrence of MK.
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PMID:Diagnosis of microsporidial keratitis with in vivo confocal microscopy. 2350 56

Keratoconus is a condition characterized by biomechanical instability of the cornea, presenting in a progressive, asymmetric and bilateral way. Corneal collagen crosslinking (CXL) with riboflavin and Ultraviolet-A (UVA) is a new technique of corneal tissue strengthening that combines the use of riboflavin as a photo sensitizer and UVA irradiation. Studies showed that CXL was effective in halting the progression of keratoconus over a period of up to four years. The published studies also revealed a reduction of max K readings by more than 2 D, while the postoperative spherical equivalent (SEQ) was reduced by an average of more than 1 D and refractive cylinder decreased by about 1 D. The major indication for the use of CXL is to inhibit the progression of corneal ecstasies, such as keratoconus and pellucid marginal degeneration. CXL may also be effective in the treatment and prophylaxis of iatrogenic keratectasia, resulting from excessively aggressive photo ablation. This treatment has been used to treat infectious corneal ulcers with apparent favorable results. Most recent studies demonstrate the beneficial impact of CXL for iatrogenic ecstasies, pellucid marginal degeneration, infectious keratitis, bullous keratopathy and ulcerative keratitis. Several long-term and short-term complications of CXL have been studied and documented. The possibility of a secondary infection after the procedure exists because the patient is subject to epithelial debridement and the application of a soft contact lens. Formation of temporary corneal haze, permanent scars, endothelial damage, treatment failure, sterile infiltrates, bullous keratopathy and herpes reactivation are the other reported complications of this procedure.
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PMID:Corneal collagen crosslinking in keratoconus and other eye disease. 2593 65

Reiter's syndrome is commonly associated with conjunctivitis and rarely with uveitis. Bilateral disciform keratitis at presentation is a very rare manifestation in Reiter's syndrome. A 13-year-old boy developed bilateral disciform keratitis with oligoarthritis following an episode of conjunctivitis. In addition he had suspected bacterial keratitis with hypopyon in the left eye as a possible secondary infection of an epithelial defect that is a feature of Reiter's keratitis. Empirical treatment with intensive topical antibiotics as a therapeutic trial completely resolved the hypopyon and the disciform keratitis settled with topical steroid treatment. The patient achieved a best corrected vision of 20/20 in both the eyes 6 weeks after the treatment. Bilateral disciform keratitis can occur as a complication of Reiter's syndrome. Also the possibility of secondary infection of the epithelial defect needs to be borne in mind.
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PMID:Bilateral disciform keratitis in Reiter's syndrome. 2785 23


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