Conjunctival appearance in corneal xerophthalmia.
We studied the appearance of 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.
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003229:Conjunctival Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D014985:Xerophthalmia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy
D014801:Vitamin A