Novel approach to treatment of lagophthalmos-associated neuroparalytic keratitis

Abstract

Aim - to develop effective treatment approaches to lagophthalmos-associated neuroparalytic keratitis. A total of 34 patients (36 eyes) with neuroparalytic keratitis were enrolled. Group 1 consisted of 20 patients (21 eyes), in whom autoconjunctivoplasty was performed in combination with eyelid surgery. Group 2 consisted of 12 lagophthalmic patients (13 eyes) with purulent corneal ulcers, who additionally underwent corneal transplantation. Group 3 included 2 patients (2 eyes) with central corneal ulcer in the only seeing eye, who received, besides other things, upper sector iridectomy intended to serve as a pupil (RU 2299048 with priority date of 15.07.2005). In group 1, corneal re-epithelization and complete recovery was achieved in all patients within 3.00±0.69 weeks. Visual acuity (VA) has generally increased over the first year after treatment from 0.14±0.06 to 0.25±0.13 in group 1 and from 0.09±0.05 to 0.21±0.13 in group 2. In group 3, sector iridectomies also yielded an increase in VA - from 0.01 to 0.02 in one case and from 0.2 to 0.6 in the other. Autoconjunctivoplasty enabled rapid and stable re-epithelization of corneal defects in all cases. One-stage corneal and eyelid surgery has been shown to be more effective in treating lagophthalmos-associated neuroparalytic keratitis than previous methods. The novel approach ensures acute symptoms of keratitis resolve and the eye is saved, moreover, it allows to maintain visual acuity and prevent recurrences in 64% and 65% of patients, respectively.