Transient anterior corneal deposits in a human immunodeficiency virus-positive patient.
OBJECTIVE
To report findings of pigmented anterior corneal deposits in a human immunodeficiency virus-positive patient.


METHODS
Case report. A 49-year-old human immunodeficiency virus-positive patient was examined after the appearance of pigmented corneal deposits. Slit-lamp biomicroscopy, fundus photography, and laser-scanning in vivo confocal microscopy were performed to visually document the ocular condition.


RESULTS
The patient had a history of Mycobacterium avium infection and was suspected to have recovery uveitis from a cytomegalovirus infection. Small, rounded, light brown-colored deposits were distributed across the anterior cornea from limbus to limbus, bilaterally. In vivo confocal microscopy revealed the deposits to be confined to the basal epithelium and Bowman layer, whereas the posterior stroma, Descemet membrane, and the endothelium appeared normal. Systemic steroid treatment was administered, and 2 weeks later, the deposits had vanished on slit-lamp examination, whereas remnants were observed at the microscopic level.


CONCLUSIONS
The deposits were unusual for their anterior corneal location and pancorneal distribution. The response to systemic steroid treatment remains unexplained and illustrates the complexity of the underlying conditions, their treatment, and the associated pathways of ocular manifestation.
Peebo
Beatrice Bourghardt
BB
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
Fagerholm
Per
P
Lagali
Neil
N
D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D050541:Bowman Membrane / Q000473:pathology; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D015774:Ganciclovir / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008499:Medical Records; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008875:Middle Aged; D015270:Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare Infection / Q000150:complications; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D003907:Dexamethasone; D015774:Ganciclovir