PURPOSE To compare the relative diagnostic value of confocal microscopy and superficial corneal cultures in the diagnosis of Acanthamoeba keratitis by using clinical and microbiologic definitions of disease. METHODS Results of confocal microscopy, superficial corneal smear, and superficial corneal culture were analyzed for validity against 2 different microbiologic and a clinical composite st...

Herpetic keratitis is caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV) and is a common cause of corneal blindness. Following a primary ocular herpetic infection, latency of the virus occurs, followed by subsequent recurrences of herpetic keratitis. Such recurrences may lead to structural damage of the cornea. Recurrent herpetic keratitis is a common indication for corneal transplantation. Recurrences of he...

BACKGROUND Phlyctenular keratitis is a hypersensitivity reaction of the cornea, and a complication of eyelid margin disease in children and young adults. In this study, we compared the morphology of the meibomian glands in eyelids between phlyctenular keratitis patients and healthy young adults, using noncontact meibography. METHODS The study included 16 eyes of 13 patients diagnosed with phl...

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) keratitis is a common cause of ocular and visual morbidity. In this article, we systematically review published randomized clinical trials (RCTs) for HSV epithelial and stromal keratitis in order to establish a rational evidence-based foundation for treatment of these disorders. Articles for review were identified in the MEDLINE database from January 1, 1966, to May 3...

PURPOSE Idiopathic inflammation of the cornea, keratitis, has been proposed to result from an autoimmune process, but thus far no convenient animal model of keratitis exists. An attempt was made to establish an animal model for keratitis, to investigate possible autoimmune mechanisms. METHODS T-cell lines were established from lymph node cells removed from rats immunized with bovine corneal e...

In four patients with an adult chlamydial ophthalmia small, marginal corneal abscesses were detected. These corneal abscesses were associated with unilateral papillary and follicular conjunctivitis and punctate keratitis. In these patients no bacteria was isolated from the abscesses, but Chlamydia trachomatis was isolated from materials collected from the abscesses and from the conjunctival swa...

Background & Aims: This study was carried out to determine the leading indications for corneal transplantation in Kerman province. Methods: Medical records of 186 patients underwent corneal transplantation during 3 years (2004-2006) in Shafa Medical Center were evaluated retrospectively. The initial diagnosis and causes of corneal grafting were recorded. Infectious keratitis (Bacterial, Fungal,...

as a means of determining the classification in most instances, and in doubtful cases the question can almost always be settled by staining and examining a film?a proceeding well within the power of all. Ulcers are divided into (A) Traumatic; (B) Primary and (C) Secondary Corneal infections, and (D) Ulcerations due to tropic disturbances, desiccation or degenerative processes. The primary corne...

PURPOSE This study was designed to determine whether the ability to adversely affect corneal epithelial cell health is a factor common to Pseudomonas aeruginosa keratitis strains and to assess the prevalence of each pathogenic phenotype and genotype in a canine model of naturally-acquired P. aeruginosa ocular infection. METHODS P. aeruginosa ocular isolates were collected by sampling 100 dogs...