title: Corneal Toxicity Following Exposure toAsclepias Tuberosa.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To present a case of corneal toxicity following exposure to milky plant latex fromAsclepias tuberosa.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 70-year-old female presented with blurred vision and pain in her left eye after handling anAscepias tuberosa. Clinical examination revealed a corneal stromal oedema with small epithelial defects. The corneal endothelium was intact and folds in Descemets membrane were observed. The oedema was treated with chloramphenicol, dexamethasone and scopolamine.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The corneal oedema had appeared after corneal exposure to the plant,Asclepias tuberosa, whose latex contains cardenolides that inhibit the Na+/ K+-ATPase in the corneal endothelium. The oedema resolved after 96 hours. After nine months the best corrected visual acuity was 20/20.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Corneal toxicity has previously been reported for plants of theAsclepiasfamily. This is a rare case describing severe corneal toxicity caused by exposure to latex fromAsclepias tuberosa. Handling of plants of theAsclepiasfamily should be kept as a differential diagnosis in cases of acute corneal toxicity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Lauge Hjorth
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Mikkelsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Glostrup, Denmark.
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hamoudi
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Glostrup, Denmark.
authors.forename: Cigdem Altuntas
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Gül
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Ophthalmology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Glostrup, Denmark.
authors.forename: Steffen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Heegaard
keywords: Asclepias; Cornea; Corneal oedema; Corneal toxicity