Cloudy Cornea Research Articles

A Mystery Unsolved: A Spontaneous Lens and Uveal Prolapse in a New-born

Introduction : Corneal rupture in new-born, especially during the first week of life is rare. Some of these cases occur because of ocular trauma during deliveries, systemic infection, and congenital anomalies. We aim to deliver a rare case of spontaneous lens and uveal prolapse in new-born and management in treating the case.
 Case Illustration : A-2-day-old full-term-baby was referred due to bleeding of the right eye 6 hours post-partum by spontaneous vaginal delivery with no trauma. The mother, a 23-year-old, having the second born with no history of medical illness or vaginal discharged during pregnancy. Measurements of birth weight and length were normal. Eye examination of the right eye (RE) was uveal and lens prolapse and left eye (LE) cloudy cornea with leukoma and prominent neovascularization. Orbital CT-Scan revealed bilateral vitreous bleeding of both eyes. Laboratory examination showed reactive IgM for herpes simplex virus, reactive IgG for both toxoplasma and rubella. Corneal swab culture was sterile. Systemic and topical antibiotics were administered then switched to systemic antivirus. The 12-day-old-patient showed partial epithelization of cornea, less uveal volume with it partially shrank. Close observation was conducted and evisceration was postponed.
 Discussion : Although etiologic work-up has been addressed, exact etiology remains unknown with the possibility of congenital cause. It has been postulated that structurally malformed eyes are more prone to corneal perforations. Management should be personalized based on the patient’s need.
 Conclusion : Thorough examination is vital a rare case with undisclosed aetiology especially new-born. Patient monitoring is sufficient if no infections and bleedings found.

Disaster of Retrobulbar Hemorrhage

Introduction : Retrobulbar hemorrhage is a rare case, 3.6% of which are caused by ocular trauma. However, this case is an ophthalmic emergency and must be treated quickly and accurately. We present a case of neglected traumatic retrobulbar hemorrhage with compartment-syndrome and opportunistic bacterial infection which underwent dilemmatic exenteration and orbitectomy.
 Case Illustration : A 39-year-old man was referred with a history of being beaten, 11 days before admission. He felt a dark vision, pain and swelling in his left eye. The visual acuity was no light perception. Eyelid necrosis with proptosis and periorbital edema. We found severe chemosis and cloudy cornea. Negative-light reflex with increase intraocular pressure and limited eye movement in all directions. We did three surgeries due to serious complication. First, evacuation of retrobulbar bleeding. The second was total exenteration. The last was left orbitectomy, necrotomy and reconstruction performed together with plastic-surgeon and neuro-surgeon. Patient was hospitalized for 1.5 months.
 Discussion : Accumulation of blood in retrobulbar space leads to increased orbital pressure, which can stretch the optic nerve and impair blood flow in the eye which can lead to orbital compartment-syndrome. Unwanted complications can be prevented with prompt treatment within the first-two hours. Orbital decompression with lateral canthotomy and inferior cantholysis is considered as an emergency procedure. In this case, our patient had chronic compartment-syndrome and had no previous orbital decompression.
 Conclusion : Retrobulbar hemorrhage is an ophthalmic emergency. Early diagnosis and treatment are critical to ensure the best clinical outcome. Delayed treatment causes blindness and opportunistic infections can destroy the surrounding structure, a disaster.

Severe Case Of Delayed Diagnosed Of >10 Years Untreated Newborn Congenital Glaucoma

Introduction : Though cases of newborn primary congenital glaucoma (PCG) had poor prognosis, we couldn’t simply ignore that early proper diagnostic and treatment can still improves quality of one’s sight, which’s absent in this case. Presented with delayed diagnosed highly suspected case of newborn PCG, physician was compelled to make the best in condition of the already given poor prognosis to begin with.
 Case Illustration : A 13 years old female patient came to eye clinic with a very disturbing chronic condition of visual loss. Accompanied by her family, who also claimed had witnessed both the patient’s eyes appeared whitish since birth. Eye examination revealed visual acuity of 1/~ for right eye and no light perception for left eye, along with significant signs of buphthalmos, epiphora, nystagmus, megalocornea (diameter of 9x14mm right eye and 9x13.3mm left eye), cloudy cornea, leukocoria, and Schiotz tonometry of 60-100mmHg in both eyes. Patient then received oral Acetazolamide, Levofloxacin eye drop, and Timolol Maleate 0,5% eye drop; then advised to return for one week evaluation also to bring her siblings to be subjected to glaucoma screening.
 Discussion : The decision to perform surgical intervention in cases of newborn PCG commonly require further thoughts. This case immediately shifted our focus towards palliative care of the patient whilst continuing monitoring IOP, as glaucoma surgery possessed a more menacing risk to be performed this patient.
 Conclusion : All cases of pediatric glaucoma require a life time of comprehensive management that requires heedfulness especially from caregivers as it is a very challenging disease.

Conjunctival flap surgery for traumatic corneal ulcers

Introduction : Trauma was the most common risk factor for corneal ulcers and blindness. Death of corneal tissue due to loss of part of the surface of the cornea is called a corneal ulcer. Conjunctival flap (CF) surgery has an acknowledged role in assuring a stable ocular surface and repressing inflammation in compromised corneas or eyes with reduced visual potential.
 Case Illustration : 26-year- old male patient came to the Chasan Boesorie Ternate Hospital polyclinic with pain in the left eye after splash cement 3 days before being admitted to the hospital. The left eye is runny, feels itchy, looks red and like there is a block and glare. On ophthalmology status there was a visual acuity OD 6/6, OS 1/300, OS cloudy cornea, hypopion, prolapse of iris and central corneal ulcer with a size of ± 2 x 1 mm.
 Discussion : The remaining flaps were performed for corneal perforation, graft rejection, bullous keratopathy, and secondary corneal edema. Conjunctival flaps have previously proven to be effective in preserving the globe for individuals with severe ocular surface disease. The flaps promote nutrition, metabolism, structure, and vascularity, as well as reduce pain, irritation, inflammation, and infection. After 6 weeks of surgery visual acuity become better, OS 20/200.
 Conclusion : Conjunctival flap surgery is an important and useful surgical option of ocular surface disease, especially recalcitrant infectious keratitis and corneal ulcers, particularly in nonresponsive and some perforated cases. CF procedure went well, provides mechanical support for corneal wound healing with good visual outcomes on the patient.

An Infant With a Cloudy Cornea and Elevated Intraocular Pressure.

An Infant With a Cloudy Cornea and Elevated Intraocular Pressure.

Fryns syndrome: A clinical conundrum

Fryns syndrome is an uncommon autosomal recessive disorder with ocular signs and multisystem involvement with features like diaphragmatic defect, pulmonary hypoplasia, characteristic facial appearance, distal digital hypoplasia, etc., Associated ocular features reported till date are cloudy cornea, microphthalmos, hypertelorism, and retinal dysplasia. The pathogenesis of the syndrome is not well understood although mutations in PIGN gene in clinically diagnosed cases have been reported. Based on a French population study, the prevalence reported was 7 in 100,000 live births, but this prevalence was established before the advent of many genetic testing methodologies. Currently, there are no additional prevalence reports available. We report a 7-month-old female child who presented to us with recurrent acute on chronic dacryocystitis along with microcornea and iridofundal coloboma. Child underwent detailed systemic examination and was clinically diagnosed as Fryns syndrome.

Scaly Skin, Bowed Bones, and Cloudy Cornea in a 7-Year-Old Child

Scaly Skin, Bowed Bones, and Cloudy Cornea in a 7-Year-Old Child

Objectively measuring anterior segment alterations in the eyes of mucopolysaccharidoses: Its utility in early diagnosis of glaucoma.

Our study aimed to evaluate the utility of the anterior segment morphometry for objectively assessing anterior segment architectural changes of corneal clouding in the mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) cohort and to investigate whether these measurements correlate with the slit-lamp findings on the cornea and early diagnosis of glaucoma. This retrospective study involved 70 eyes of 35 children with cloudy cornea due to MPS variants. Anterior segment architectural alterations were measured using anterior segment imaging and biometry in MPS children and compared with controls. Mean age of the cohort at the time of assessment was 7.9 ± 4.5 years. Males constituted two-thirds of the cohort. Variants of MPS with cloudy cornea were as follows: Type I (62%), Type IV (11%), and Type VI (22%). Morphometric measurements were available in 22 eyes of 11 MPS children and an age-matched healthy control group. There were significant differences between MPS cohort and controls in refraction in Diopters (5.03 ± 0.39 and 0.01 ± 0.04; P < 0.0001), axial length (AXL) in mm (21.39 ± 0.28 and 23.04 ± 0.28; P = 0.0002), average keratometry in Diopters (40.67 ± 0.44 and 42.83 ± 0.44; P < 0.0001), anterior chamber depth (ACD) in mm (2.92 ± 0.07 and 3.65 ± 0.07; P < 0.0001), and intraocular pressure (IOP) in mmHg (25.2 ± 2.0 and 14.1 ± 2.3; P = 0.0003). Secondary glaucoma was observed in 28% of the MPS cohort. The anterior segment morphometry in the cloudy cornea due to MPS provides an objective measurement of anterior segment architectural changes, thus diagnosing early-onset secondary glaucoma. These findings highlight that cloudy cornea due to MPS variants merits close monitoring throughout life.

Primary aphakia: clinical recognition is the key to diagnosis

PurposeTo describe the presentation and treatment outcomes of a cohort of children with primary aphakia (PA). MethodsClinical photographs and ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) images of children presenting with sclerocornea and undetermined anterior segment dysgenesis between July 2017 and December 2020 were reviewed retrospectively. Children who had no crystalline lens visible on UBM were included. ResultsA total of 124 UBM images were captured for 124 children with cloudy corneas. Twelve children were identified with congenital primary aphakia: 5 had bilateral buphthalmos, 2 had buphthalmos in one eye and microphthalmos in the other, and 5 had bilateral sclerocornea-microphthalmia complex. All patients had a peculiar silvery-blue corneal appearance, with fine vascularization on the corneal surface. The overall corneal thickness was 409.1 ± 8.7 μm. The intraocular pressure (IOP) in eyes with glaucoma was 24.5 ± 7.3 mm Hg; in microphthalmic eyes, 11.4 ± 3.4 mm Hg (P <0.001). The raised IOP was treated with limited trans-scleral cyclophotocoagulation under transillumination and topical antiglaucoma medications. Children with glaucoma gained ambulatory vision with spectacles. ConclusionsCongenital primary aphakia has a characteristic clinical appearance and may present as buphthalmos or microphthalmos, depending on the extent of dysgenesis. Incisional surgery may result in phthisis because of ciliary body dysgenesis and unpredictable aqueous production.▪

Possible causes of the ineffectiveness of sinustrabeculectomy in children with congenital glaucoma

AIM: On the basis of studying the causes of errors in finding the trabecular zone to be excised during trabeculectomy in children with congenital glaucoma, this study presents a proven and effective method for simple intraoperative localization of the trabecular area.&#x0D; MATERIAL AND METHODS: The analyses of many years of experience in the examination and treatment of children with congenital glaucoma at the Department of Eye Pathology in Children of Helmholtz National Medical Research Center (100200 children annually) revealed the anatomical and morphological features of the eyes of children with congenital glaucoma and the reasons for the insufficient effectiveness of trabeculectomy.&#x0D; RESULTS: A retrospective gonioscopic analysis of the condition of the operation area and internal fistula after trabeculectomy in children with congenital glaucoma showed that erroneous choice of the area of the trabecular region to be excised during surgery is one of the reasons for the inefficiency of trabeculectomy, and it results from the incorrect determination of the projection location of the apex of anterior chamber angle (ACA) onto the sclera caused by the significantly distorted anatomical parameters of the childs eye due to the softness and extensibility of the limbus and sclera. On the stretched eyes of children with congenital glaucoma, especially those with buphthalmos and cloudy cornea, accurate determination of the boundaries of the altered cornea, limbus, and projection of the ACAs apex onto the sclera is visually impossible.&#x0D; CONCLUSION: During trabeculectomy of the eyes of children with congenital glaucoma, for the accurate localized projection of the apex of the ACAs onto the sclera and the trabecular zone to be excised, a simple and accessible method of clarifying diaphanoscopy intraoperatively must be used to correctly select the trabeculectomy zone, especially on stretched eyes.

Epidermolysis Bullosa With Congenital Absence of Skin: Congenital Corneal Cloudiness and Esophagogastric Obstruction Including Extended Genotypic Spectrum of PLEC, LAMC2, ITGB4 and COL7A1.

Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a rare and genetically heterogeneous disorder characterized by skin fragility and blister formation occurring spontaneously or after minor trauma. EB is accompanied by congenital absence of skin (EB with CAS) in some patients. Pathogenic variants of COL7A1 are responsible for EB with CAS in the vast majority of cases. Type and subtype diagnosis of EB with CAS generally requires specific immunohistological examinations that are not widely available plus targeted gene analysis. The present study aimed to determine the clinical features of five patients affected by EB with CAS and to identify the underlying genetic defects using whole exome sequencing (WES) followed by focused analysis of the target genes. Four patients had generalized skin involvement and one had localized defects. Two patients exhibited extremely severe skin manifestations and congenital cloudy cornea along with pyloric atresia, and one had partial esophagogastric obstruction and anuria due to vesicoureteric obstruction. In the WES analysis, the average coverage of the target exons was 99.05% (726 of 733 exons), with a range of 96.4–100% for individual genes. We identified four novel and two known pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants of five distinct genes in the examined families: PLEC:c.2536G > T (p.Glu846Ter); LAMC2:c.3385C > T (p.Arg1129Ter); KRT5:c.429G > A (p.Glu477Lys); ITGB4:c.794dupC (p.Ala266SerfsTer5); COL7A1:c.5440C > T (p.Arg1814Cys); and COL7A1:c.6103delG. All alleles were inherited from the parents, except for the KRT5 variant as a de novo finding. The findings reveal extremely rare phenotypes found in EB with CAS, namely congenital cloudy cornea, esophagogastric obstruction, and anuria, and extend the genotypic spectrum of EB-related genes. The data confirm that WES provides very high coverage of coding exons/genes and support its use as a reasonable alternative method for diagnosis of EB. The present data from an underrepresented population in Southeast Asia could further broaden the knowledge and research on EB.

O18 When joints vanish

O18 When joints vanish

Glaucoma secondary to congenital fibrovascular pupillary membrane: a single tertiary center experience

We report the clinical features, treatments, and outcomes of 9 infants with glaucoma secondary to congenital fibrovascular pupillary membrane. The clinical features included unilateral low vision, high intraocular pressure (IOP), enlarged and cloudy cornea, loss of anterior chamber, and pupillary membrane. All patients underwent membranectomy, peripheral iridectomy, pupilloplasty, and goniosynechialysis as primary treatment. The membranes were posterior to the iris in all 9 eyes. In 5 eyes, the membrane covered the ciliary processes, and in 1 eye the membrane reached the posterior lens capsule. Following primary surgery, 3 patients developed membrane recurrence, 4 had refractory elevated IOP, and 2 developed lens opacities. All 4 eyes with poor postoperative IOP control had iris root insertion anterior to the scleral spur. Five patients received additional surgeries including membranectomy, pupilloplasty, goniosynechialysis, cyclocryotherapy, ciliary photocoagulation, Amhed valve implantation, and lensectomy. One patient had refractory elevated IOP at last follow-up. IOP in the other 8 eyes was well controlled. None of the affected eyes was able to fix and follow at last follow-up.

Value of Ocular Endoscopy in Extraction of Intraocular Foreign Bodies of Cilia in Patients with Open Ocular Trauma.

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to analyze the value of ocular endoscopy in detecting and extracting intraocular cilia in patients with ocular trauma.Material/MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed data on identification and extraction of 46 intraocular cilia in 16 eyes with open-globe injury during endoscope-assisted vitrectomy.ResultsA total of the 16 patients with open-globe injury were operated on from September 2002 to June 2019. The cornea in 14 eyes was cloudy. Two eyes had endophthalmitis and 13 eyes had retinal detachment. A total of 46 cilia were extracted through direct observation under the ocular endoscope during vitrectomy 1 to 68 weeks after injury. The number of cilia per eye varied from 1 to 10. Most of the cilia were located in or near the wound. Postoperative IOP was normal in 14 patients. The follow-up after surgery showed hypotony in only 2 eyes (7.2 and 5.8 mmHg, respectively). Compared with preoperative intraocular pressure, there was a statistically significant difference. The postoperative visual acuity improved in 12 eyes and remained unchanged in 3 eyes. The vision after surgery was significantly improved compared with that before surgery (P=0.006). The intraocular pressure increased significantly after operation (P<0.001). And no glaucoma or retinal detachment or endophthalmitis was found. No eyes needed additional vitreous surgery.ConclusionsOcular endoscopy allows surgeons to detect intraocular cilia that were no undetected by CT or B-ultrasound preoperatively in time and to extract them effectively. It improves performance of vitrectomy in the presence of a cloudy cornea and also prevents exogenous endophthalmitis. The vision of patients with ocular trauma was improved.

Neonatal Marfan Syndrome Due to Missense Mutation in Exon 26 of Fbn1 Gene

Background: Neonatal Marfan syndrome (MFS) lies at the most severe end of the MFS clinical spectrum, sharing some characteristics of MFS, but with a more severe clinical phenotype, slightly variable genotype, and a poor prognosis. We report a case of neonatal MFS diagnosed antenatally and in whom diagnosis was established postnatally by clinical exome sequencing. Clinical Description: A routine antenatal ultrasonography identified a dilated aortic root, oligohydramnios, fetal femur, and long bones length &gt;99th percentile for the period of gestation findings in a fetus at 35 weeks of gestation. The baby was born by a cesarean section due to nonprogress of the labor. At birth, he had multiple anomalies including bilaterally cloudy cornea, bluish sclera, long slender fingers, hyperflexion of the wrist, ankle joints, and pulsatile precordium. Management: The patient developed severe respiratory distress immediately after birth and was intubated and initiated on positive pressure ventilation. The baby was supportive of fluid and inotropic management. The diagnosis was established based on characteristic echocardiographic findings and identification of a likely pathogenic variant disrupting the p.Cys1068 amino acid residue in FBN1, located at exon 26, which is the “neonatal” region known to be associated with neonatal MFS. The baby succumbed. Conclusion: Although neonatal MFS has a poor prognosis, multidisciplinary intervention is required to determine the best course of action.

Paediatric glaucoma in Hong Kong: a multicentre retrospective analysis of epidemiology, presentation, clinical interventions, and outcomes.

To document the epidemiology, presentation, clinical interventions, and outcomes of paediatric glaucoma in Hong Kong. This multicentre territory-wide retrospective study was performed by reviewing charts of patients with paediatric glaucoma in six clusters of the Hong Kong Hospital Authority and The Chinese University of Hong Kong from 2006 to 2015. This study included 150 eyes of 98 patients with paediatric glaucoma (presenting age: 5.2±5.7 years). Of them, 35 eyes (23.3%) had primary congenital glaucoma, 22 eyes (14.7%) had juvenile open-angle glaucoma, and 93 eyes (62.0%) had secondary glaucoma. The most prevalent types of secondary glaucoma were lens-related after cataract extraction (18.0%), Axenfeld-Rieger anomaly (5.3%), uveitis (5.3%), Sturge-Weber syndrome (4.7%), and traumatic (3.3%). The most common clinical presentations were parental concerns (20.7%) including cloudy cornea (12.7%) and tearing/photophobia (8.0%), followed by poor visual acuity (18.0%), high intraocular pressure (13.3%), and strabismus (6.0%). The follow-up duration was 8.46±6.51 years. Furthermore, 63.2% of eyes with primary glaucoma and 45.2% of eyes with secondary glaucoma were treated surgically. The final visual acuity was 0.90±0.98 LogMAR; intraocular pressure was 18.4±6.6 mm Hg; and number of glaucoma medications was 2.22±1.61. Primary congenital glaucoma was most prevalent, followed by juvenile open-angle glaucoma and aphakic glaucoma. Most eyes with primary glaucoma required surgical treatment. Parental concerns were important clinical presentations. Basic assessments by healthcare providers to identify glaucoma signs (eg, poor visual acuity, high intraocular pressure, and strabismus) warranted prompt referral to an ophthalmologist.

Intraoperative Optical Coherence Tomography: Game-Changing Technology.

Intraoperative optical coherence tomography (OCT) has the potential to revolutionize lamellar corneal surgery and facilitate many other types of ocular surgery because it readily visualizes ocular structures that can be difficult to discern with a coaxial microscope, particularly through a cloudy cornea. Systems that can provide a high-quality image on demand in the surgeon's oculars, rather than just on an adjacent monitor, are the most useful because they allow the surgeon to rely on the OCT image while operating, without having to look away from the surgical field. Useful applications in lamellar corneal surgery include assessing graft attachment with Descemet stripping endothelial keratoplasty and discerning graft orientation with Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty, which otherwise could be challenging in an eye with a cloudy cornea. Intraoperative OCT is particularly helpful when performing deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty in cases in which a big bubble should not be attempted or cannot be achieved because it enables better intraoperative control of the incision depth and allows the surgeon to assess the uniformity of the dissection plane to optimize visual outcomes. Intraoperative OCT is also useful when judging the depth of a scar for a lamellar dissection, when evaluating intraocular lens positioning in the capsular bag, or when locating and removing retained nuclear fragments from an eye with a poor view because of a cloudy cornea. The primary barrier to the adoption of this valuable technology is cost.

PIGO variants in a boy with features of Mabry syndrome who also exhibits Fryns syndrome with peripheral neuropathy

AbstractWe report a 2‐year‐old boy with left congenital diaphragmatic defect (CDH), pulmonary hypoplasia, and polyhydramnios who harbors compound heterozygous mutations, c.1109A&gt;G and c.2497_2498del, in the PIGO gene. The facial appearance was characterized by cloudy cornea, broad and flat nasal bridge, long philtrum, low‐set ears, and micrognathia. Serum alkaline phosphatase level was consistently elevated, suggesting that he meets the criteria for Mabry syndrome. However, the observation of other anomalies including micropenis, cryptorchidism, and Hirschsprung disease suggests clinical features compatible with Fryns syndrome (FS). Left CDH and Hirschsprung disease were surgically repaired at 1 week and 3 months of age, respectively. He also exhibited multiple joint contractures and markedly decreased voluntary movement. Craw hands were seen but pes cavus was absent. Electrophysiology studies showed diffuse axonal demyelinating neuropathy. The cell surface expression of CD16, CD24, and CD59 on blood granulocytes was significantly reduced. The PIGO gene encodes ethanolamine phosphate transferase 3 in the glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) biosynthesis pathway. Mutations in the gene are known to cause Mabry syndrome, an inherited GPI deficiency (IGD) characterized by hyperphosphatasia. IGDs show clinical heterogeneity and overlap with other syndromes and diseases. A severe end of the phenotypic spectrum can be recognized as FS. This is the first report of PIGO gene mutations in a Mabry syndrome patient who also meets the criteria for FS.

Fortified Fluconazole Eyedrops for Treatment of Culvularia Corneal Ulcer

Abstract&#x0D; Introduction. Fungal keratitis is less common than bacterial keratitis, generally representing less than 5%–10% of corneal infections in reported clinical series in the United States. But in developing countries (Ghana, India, China) it accounts for more than 90% of the cases. Corneal trauma by plant or vegetative material is the leading risk factor for fungal keratitis. One or more topical antifungals are usually administered with systemic support of oral antifungals. The most common classes of antifungal used for medical therapy include the polyenes, azoles, and the echinocandins.&#x0D; Case Illustration. A 47-year-old male presented with a widening white patch on his left eye since 4 days before coming to our hospital. The left eye was injured by wood flakes 3 weeks ago. He felt a sore, red, watery left eye and blurred vision. He washed his eyes with betel leaf water. His left eye visual acuity was 1/60 and not improved with pinhole. There were blepharospasm, ciliary and conjunctival injection. Corneal examination showed a cloudy cornea, a central corneal defect sized 8x6 mm with an irregular margin, 2/3 to stromal depth, infiltrate, satellite lesion, and positive fluorescein staining at the defect margin. KOH examination demonstrated hyphae. The culture test of left corneal discharge identified a fungi species (Curvularia sp). We prescribed fortified fluconazole eye drops in combination with supportive therapy for 2.5 months. This regimen showed a significant increase in visual acuity to 6/30 with pinhole improvement of 6/21 in the left eye.&#x0D; Discussion. Imidazole acts by inhibiting ergosterol biosynthesis of the fungal cell wall, through action on the cytochrome P450-dependent enzyme. This leads to cell membrane destabilization and leakage. Curvularia sp belongs to the family of dematiaceous fungi. Its clinical manifestations include raised lesions and feathery edges; hypopyon rarely occurs, and the prognosis is quite good. Fluconazole (2 mg/ml) is available for injection and is a well-tolerated eye drop. The intravenous injection can be used as a topical treatment and can be given subconjunctivally at the same concentration.&#x0D; Conclusions. Fortified fluconazole eyedrops (2 mg/ml) can become an alternative and additional therapy for deep fungal keratitis, especially for Curvularia sp.

The ACE2-deficient mouse: A model for a cytokine storm-driven inflammation.

Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) plays an important role in inflammation, which is attributable at least, in part, to the conversion of the pro‐inflammatory angiotensin (Ang) II peptide into angiotensin 1‐7 (Ang 1‐7), a peptide which opposes the actions of AngII. ACE2 and AngII are present in many tissues but information on the cornea is lacking. We observed that mice deficient in the Ace2 gene (Ace2−/−), developed a cloudy cornea phenotype as they aged. Haze occupied the central cornea, accompanied by corneal edema and neovascularization. In severe cases with marked chronic inflammation, a cell‐fate switch from a transparent corneal epithelium to a keratinized, stratified squamous, psoriasiform‐like epidermis was observed. The stroma contained a large number of CD11c, CD68, and CD3 positive cells. Corneal epithelial debridement experiments in young ACE2‐deficient mice showed normal appearing corneas, devoid of haze. We hypothesized, however, that these mice are “primed” for a corneal inflammatory response, which once initiated, would persist. In vitro studies reveal that interleukins (IL‐1a, IL‐1b), chemokines (CCL2, CXCL8), and TNF‐α, are all significantly elevated, resulting in a cytokine storm‐like phenotype. This phenotype could be partially rescued by treatment with the AngII type 1 receptor (AT1R) antagonist, losartan, suggesting that the observed effect was mediated by AngII acting on its main receptor. Since the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) utilizes human ACE2 as the receptor for entry with subsequent downregulation of ACE2, corneal inflammation in Ace2−/− mice may have a similar mechanism with that in COVID‐19 patients. Thus the Ace2−/− cornea, because of easy accessibility, may provide an attractive model to explore the molecular mechanisms, immunological changes, and treatment modalities in patients with COVID‐19.