title: Histopathological changes of cornea in long-term sympathetic ophthalmitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report the histopathological changes occurring in the cornea in sympathetic ophthalmitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational case series of 3 patients with sympathetic ophthalmitis who were treated with penetrating keratoplasty. We report the histopathological features of the cornea.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all 3 cases, the epithelium was edematous and bullous with extensive loss of the Bowman layer and calcification of the superficial stroma in all the 3 eyes. The deep stroma was unremarkable in appearance. Descemet membrane showed thickening in 2 of the corneas with nodular excrescences and folds noted in 1 of the specimens. The endothelium was attenuated with some residual cells containing pigment granules in 1 case.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Endothelial loss and development of bullous keratopathy associated with band keratopathy are predominate histopathological features of the cornea. These changes are nonspecific and reflect a chronic anterior uveitis.
authors.affiliation: Tennent Institute of Ophthalmology, Gartnavel General Hospital, Glasgow, United Kingdom. vashankar73@yahoo.co.uk
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Shankar
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ramaesh
mesh_terms: D050541:Bowman Membrane / Q000473:pathology; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003315:Cornea / Q000473:pathology*; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D015715:Corneal Edema / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D003886:Descemet Membrane / Q000473:pathology; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015948:Keratoplasty, Penetrating; D008297:Male; D009879:Ophthalmia, Sympathetic / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D055815:Young Adult