title: Improvement in corneal scarring following bacterial keratitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Bacterial keratitis results in corneal scarring and subsequent visual impairment. The long-term evolution of corneal scars has not been well described. In this case series, we identified patients who had improvement in corneal scarring and visual acuity from a clinical trial for bacterial keratitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We searched the records of the Steroids for Corneal Ulcers Trial (SCUT) for patients who had improvement in vision between the 3-month and 12-month visits and reviewed their clinical photographs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 500 patients enrolled in SCUT, five patients with large central corneal scars due to bacterial keratitis are presented. All experienced improvement in rigid contact lens-corrected visual acuity from months 3 to 12. All patients also had marked improvement in corneal opacity during the same time period. None of the patients opted to have penetrating keratoplasty.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Corneal scars may continue to improve even many months after a bacterial corneal ulcer has healed. The corneal remodeling can be accompanied by considerable improvement in visual acuity, such that corneal transplantation may not be necessary.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: McClintic
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Srinivasan
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mascarenhas
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Greninger
authors.forename: N R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Acharya
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Lietman
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Keenan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001372:Aza Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003320:Corneal Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D024841:Fluoroquinolones; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000077266:Moxifloxacin; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011804:Quinolines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D001372:Aza Compounds; D024841:Fluoroquinolones; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D011804:Quinolines; C009022:prednisolone phosphate; D011239:Prednisolone; D000077266:Moxifloxacin