Spider keratouveitis. A case report.
OBJECTIVE
To present a case report on a patient with keratouveitis after exposure to a tarantula.


METHODS
A 15-year-old boy presented with ocular redness and discomfort after his pet tarantula (Chilean Rose) had walked over his face.


METHODS
Clinical examination revealed inflammatory reactions in the corneas and the anterior chamber. After nine months, two subepithelial infiltrates of the cornea emerged, surrounding tarantula hairs of the stroma. The hairs were removed.


RESULTS
Topical steroids relieved the symptoms, but ten months after exposure there was still a mild reaction in the anterior chamber of the right eye.


CONCLUSIONS
Hairs from pet tarantulas might penetrate deeply into the eye and give keratouveitis. The hairs might be difficult to detect. Though rare, this phenomenon should be known by both ophthalmologists and the public.
Sandboe
F D
FD
Eye Department, Rikshospitalet University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D000867:Anterior Chamber / Q000473:pathology; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D065306:Corneal Injuries; D005129:Eye Foreign Bodies / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D005549:Foreign-Body Reaction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D006197:Hair; D006801:Humans; D007634:Keratitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D013112:Spiders; D013256:Steroids; D014606:Uveitis, Anterior / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D013256:Steroids