title: New-onset herpes simplex virus keratitis after cataract surgery.
abstract: We report the case of a 34-year-old man who had uncomplicated cataract surgery in his left eye. Medical history was significant for atopic dermatitis, requiring oral immunosuppressive medications. Two days after the surgery, the patient presented with pain, photophobia, decreased vision, and a small corneal abrasion. On postoperative day 5, the patient returned with left upper lid vesicular lesions and 2 corneal dendrites. Corrected vision was 20/100 OS, with intraocular pressure of 18 mm Hg and 1+ pigmented cells in the anterior chamber. Cultures of the lid lesions revealed herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1. The patient was placed on oral acyclovir 800 mg 5 times a day. By day 8, the dendrites had resolved, and by day 15, the lid lesions healed over. HSV keratitis is an uncommon complication after cataract surgery. Ophthalmologists should be aware of the possibility of developing HSV keratitis even after the most routine cataract extraction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, New York University School of Medicine, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA.
authors.forename: Nandesh N
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Christopher C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Teng
authors.forename: Laurence T D
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Sperber
authors.forename: Jack M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Dodick
mesh_terms: D000212:Acyclovir / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002387:Cataract Extraction; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005141:Eyelid Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D016849:Keratitis, Herpetic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000935:Antifungal Agents; D000998:Antiviral Agents; C009935:prednisolone acetate; D011239:Prednisolone; D000212:Acyclovir