title: A Hairy Affair: Ophthalmia nodosa Due to Caterpillar Hairs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study different clinical presentations, course, and final outcomes of ophthalmia nodosa, a rare disease caused by hairs of the caterpillar.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 29 eyes of 17 patients with the disease presenting to our institute in 2013 were included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients presented with foreign body sensation (94%), photophobia (88%), lacrimation (82%), redness (94%), and eyelid edema (82%). Hairs were found in the conjunctiva (89.6%), cornea (65.5%), and even anterior chamber (3.4%). There was a conjunctival nodule in two eyes (6.8%). Resolution of symptoms occurred in 3-21 days. Treatment included topical steroids, cycloplegia, and removal of hairs with forceps. More than one sitting was required in 17 eyes (62.9%) due to reactional inflammation, precluding visualization of all the hairs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ophthalmia nodosa is a relatively rare condition with subtle findings, which can be missed, causing considerable discomfort to the patient if the hairs are not removed.
authors.affiliation: a Goa Medical College , Panjim , India.
authors.forename: Pratik Y
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4569-542X
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Doshi
authors.affiliation: a Goa Medical College , Panjim , India.
authors.forename: Ugam
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Usgaonkar
authors.affiliation: a Goa Medical College , Panjim , India.
authors.forename: Pradnya
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kamat
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003229:Conjunctival Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D009877:Endophthalmitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D005129:Eye Foreign Bodies / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015745:Granuloma, Foreign-Body / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D006197:Hair; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009036:Moths; D009184:Mydriatics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013508:Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D009184:Mydriatics
keywords: Caterpillar hair; entomologic injury; ocular foreign body; ophthalmia nodosa; setae