MAHE 2006 Conjunctivitis

1) Shield ulcer is seen in
• Plycten
• Spring catarrh
• Conjunctivitis

Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) - Spring Catarrh


A classic presentation of VKC.

Signs and symptoms: VKC is a chronic, bilateral inflammation of the superior and limbal palpebral conjunctiva. The warmer the climate, the greater its prevalence. Onset typically occurs between ages 3 and 25 years. Males typically are affected more than females.
Symptoms often include severe itching with thick, ropy discharge. In most cases, patients have a history of allergies or infantile eczema.

important clinical signs

*large conjunctival papillae on the back of the superior tarsus;
*raised Horner-Trantas dots (gelatinous, white clumps of degenerated eosinophils usually located at the superior limbus);
*superficial punctate keratitis (SPK) and,
*in severe cases, well-demarcated, sterile corneal shield ulcers, located superiorly.

Vernal shield ulcers develop in the upper regions of the cornea. The base of the ulcer is composed of abnormal mucus, fibrin and serum, deposited as a gray plaque. Friction secondary to the roughened superior conjunctiva erodes the corneal epithelium.

Category: MAHE 2006 MCQs