Severe keratopathy in patients with AIDS with undiagnosed lagophthalmos.
OBJECTIVE
To report 2 cases of severe keratopathy in patients with AIDS with delayed diagnosis of lagophthalmos.


METHODS
Observational case report.


RESULTS
The first patient presented with a corneal abscess attributed to old trauma. He responded poorly to topical treatment and suffered corneal penetration. Penetrating keratoplasty was performed, but persistent epithelial defects appeared. Finally, occult lagophthalmos was discovered. Topical ocular lubrication, eye occlusion, and lateral tarsorrhaphy were insufficient, and the graft became conjunctivalized. The second patient had corneal opacity and severe pannus in his right eye and mild punctate keratopathy in his left eye. The left cornea worsened despite treatment with lubricants. In an examination 2 weeks later, we detected a subtle lagophthalmos, which was complicated by upper eyelid retraction in the right eye. A bilateral upper blepharotomy improved the keratopathy.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with AIDS with severe weight loss can present with lagophthalmos because of adipose and muscular atrophy in the so-called wasting syndrome. Lagophthalmos in patients with AIDS can be difficult to detect. Clinically significant lagophthalmos is associated with ocular surface lesions in patients with AIDS with wasting syndrome.
Núñez Pérez
Javier
J
Ophthalmology Department, Hospital Parc Taulí, Institut Universitari Parc Taulí, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Sabadell, Spain. nyanyo40@hotmail.com
Romera Becerro
Manuel A
MA
Gracia Martínez
José
J
Bulnes
Olga Alvarez
OA
D000038:Abscess / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D003318:Corneal Opacity; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery; D005141:Eyelid Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D015948:Keratoplasty, Penetrating; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery; D014792:Visual Acuity; D019282:Wasting Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis