title: Mechanical treatment of phthiriasis palpebrarum.
abstract: Phthiriasis palpebrarum is a rare disease in which crab lice infest the eyelashes. It can cause pruritic lid margins or unusual blepharoconjunctivitis and is difficult to diagnose and treat. We diagnosed and managed a case of phthiriasis palpebrarum in both upper eyelids, accompanied by nits, on the scalp of a 6 year-old female child. We removed the eyelashes, including lice and nits, by pulling with fine forceps without sedation. On the second month after treatment, all lice and nits were eradicated without recurrence and the eyelashes grew back. In conclusion, phthiriasis palpebrarum can be diagnosed by close examination of the eyelashes and eyelid margins with slit lamp and can be managed mechanically.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Chonnam National University Medical School & Hospital, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyung-Chul
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Hong-Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Man-Seong
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Yeoung-Geol
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D005140:Eyelashes; D005141:Eyelid Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006204:Hair Removal / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D010373:Lice Infestations / Q000628:therapy*; D020061:Phthirus