title: Climatic droplet keratopathy: an old disease in new clothes.
abstract: Climatic droplet keratopathy (CDK) is an acquired and potentially handicapping cornea degenerative disease that is highly prevalent in certain rural communities around the world. It predominantly affects males over their forties. It has many other names such as Bietti's band-shaped nodular dystrophy, Labrador keratopathy, spheroidal degeneration, chronic actinic keratopathy, oil droplet degeneration, elastoid degeneration and keratinoid corneal degeneration. CDK is characterized by the haziness and opalescence of the cornea's most anterior layers which go through three stages with increasing severity. Globular deposits of different sizes may be histopathologically observed under the corneal epithelium by means of light and electron microscopy. The coalescence and increased volume of these spherules may cause the disruption of Bowman's membrane and the elevation and thinning of the corneal epithelium. The exact aetiology and pathogenesis of CDK are unknown, but they are possibly multifactorial. The only treatment in CDK advanced cases is a corneal transplantation, which in different impoverished regions of the world is not an available option. Many years ago, the clinical and histological aspects of this disease were described in several articles. This review highlights new scientific evidence of the expanding knowledge on CDK's pathogenesis which will open the prospect for new therapeutic interventions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemical Sciences, CIBICI, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.
authors.forename: Horacio M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Serra
authors.affiliation: Helsinki Eye Laboratory, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Juha M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Holopainen
authors.affiliation: Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore City, Singapore.|Duke-NUS, Singapore City, Singapore.|Ophthalmology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, NUS, Singapore City, Singapore.
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Beuerman
authors.affiliation: University of Eastern Finland and Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kaarniranta
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemical Sciences, CIBICI, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.
authors.forename: María F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Suárez
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University Clinic Reina Fabiola, Universidad Católica de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.
authors.forename: Julio A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Urrets-Zavalía
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003315:Cornea / Q000473:pathology*; D003317:Corneal Dystrophies, Hereditary / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D016039:Corneal Transplantation; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D001205:Ascorbic Acid
keywords: UV-B; ascorbate; environment; human; keratopathy