Abstract
We studied the appearance of the conjunctiva in 50 consecutive cases of vitamin A-responsive conjunctival xerosis (X1) and 162 consecutive cases of nutritional keratopathy (corneal xerosis [X2] and stromal loss [X3]). Conjunctival xerosis, most extensive at or shortly after the onset of frank corneal involvement, was present in 101 (95%) of 106 eyes of cases of X2 but in only 99 (64%) of 155 ulcerated/necrotic eyes (X3A and X3B). Forty-four percent of involved eyes were inflamed, the percentage increasing with the severity of corneal disease. In 20 patients with nutritional keratopathy, conjunctival xerosis was monocular: inflammation was more prevalent and corneal involvement more severe in the nonxerotic eyes. In patients with precipitous deterioration of vitamin A status, clinically recognizable alterations of the cornea sometimes developed before any changes appeared in the conjunctiva.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 951-952 |
Number of pages | 2 |
Journal | Archives of ophthalmology |
Volume | 100 |
Issue number | 6 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jun 1982 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Ophthalmology