Ocular findings in a measles epidemic among young adults.
OBJECTIVE
To present ocular findings in a measles epidemic outbreak among young adults.


METHODS
Ophthalmic lesions in an unselected group of 61 young military personnel with measles were followed. Eighteen of the patients had symmetric keratitis in both eyes. They were treated with diclofenac sodium eyedrops qid in the right eye, while the left eye was observed untreated. The disappearance of the corneal lesions in both eyes was compared.


RESULTS
Forty patients (65.6%) had measles conjunctivitis with bulbar and tarsal conjunctival hyperemia. Five (8.2%) had increased mucous secretion. Thirty-five (57.4%) had superficial punctate corneal epithelial and subepithelial lesions which stained with fluorescein. Ten patients had corneal lesions without evident conjunctival pathology. Fourteen patients had subconjunctival hemorrhages, 12 of whom had bilateral lesions mostly in the superonasal quadrant. The time to disappearance of corneal lesions was 4.5+/-3.2 days in the diclophenac-treated right eyes, and 4.1+/-3.8 days in the left eyes. We did not observe a significant difference in the healing time between the two eyes (p = 0.75).


CONCLUSIONS
Measles did not cause major ocular complications in healthy patients. Keratitis was unresponsive to diclophenac sodium eyedrops with respect to healing time and end result.
Kayikçioglu
O
O
Department of Ophthalmology, Celal Bayar University Faculty of Medicine, Manisa, Turkey. omkay@superonline.com
Kir
E
E
Söyler
M
M
Güler
C
C
Irkeç
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000098:blood supply; D003231:Conjunctivitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology*; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology*; D004008:Diclofenac / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005130:Eye Hemorrhage / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007634:Keratitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008457:Measles / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D014031:Tobramycin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014421:Turkey; D014792:Visual Acuity
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D004008:Diclofenac; D014031:Tobramycin