Blaustein B H, Gurwood A S
Pennsylvania College of Optometry, Elkins Park 19027, USA.
Optometry. 2001 Mar;72(3):179-84.
Phlyctenular keratoconjunctivitis represents a delayed type hypersensitivity response to a systemic antigen within the body.
We present a case of symptomatic, recurrent, phlyctenular keratoconjunctivitis in an 8-year-old child. The patient's inflammation responded favorably to topical steroids at each episode, but no specific antigen could be identified.
After observing the father's erythematous facial lesions, we attributed the child's ocular inflammation to rosacea (as a forme fruste manifestation) and treated her with systemic erythromycin. The symptoms were rapidly relieved and the disease process was arrested.
