Zagelbaum B M, Stroh E M, Perry H D, Donnenfeld E D, Cossari A J
Department of Ophthalmology, North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset, NY 11030, USA.
J Refract Surg. 1995 Mar-Apr;11(2):96-8. doi: 10.3928/1081-597X-19950301-08.
Few cases of corneal perforation in a premature infant have been described in the literature.
Identical twins were born at 30-weeks gestation. One twin developed a corneal epithelial defect, infiltration, and perforation with extrusion of intraocular contents, requiring an emergency penetrating keratoplasty. The second twin developed a progressive corneal opacity, requiring a lamellar keratectomy.
After penetrating keratoplasty, the patient developed absolute glaucoma with buphthalmos, leading to enucleation. The twin's lamellar keratectomy specimen proved to be a dermoid.
One must be aware of the danger of the development of spontaneous corneal perforation with extrusion of intraocular contents in premature infants presenting at birth with an epithelial defect.
