Corneal staining after treatment with topical tetracycline.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this paper is to report a case of corneal staining after treatment with topical tetracycline.


METHODS
A patient with crystalline keratopathy caused by Streptococcus viridans after corneal transplantation was treated topically with tetracycline eye drops, based on results of bacterial sensitivity testing. After 3 weeks of intensive treatment, the donor cornea was stained with a brownish hue, which was ascribed to the tetracycline drops.


RESULTS
One patient with crystalline keratopathy developed corneal staining after intensive treatment with topical tetracycline eye drops. After a year of follow-up, the staining of the cornea had not changed significantly.


CONCLUSIONS
Hourly topical tetracycline eye drops may induce corneal pigmentation. To our knowledge, this is the first published case report of corneal staining caused by tetracycline eye drops.
Lapid-Gortzak
Ruth
R
Department of Ophthalmology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. eyelapid@yahoo.com
Nieuwendaal
Carla P
CP
Slomovic
Allan R
AR
Spanjaard
Lodewijk
L
D000287:Administration, Topical; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003315:Cornea / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D016039:Corneal Transplantation; D003320:Corneal Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D010859:Pigmentation Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D013752:Tetracycline / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D034363:Viridans Streptococci / Q000302:isolation & purification
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D013752:Tetracycline