Mechanical treatment of phthiriasis palpebrarum.
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.
Yoon
Kyung-Chul
KC
Department of Ophthalmology, Chonnam National University Medical School & Hospital, Gwangju, Korea.
Park
Hong-Young
HY
Seo
Man-Seong
MS
Park
Yeoung-Geol
YG
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