02253nas a2200277   4500000000100000008004100001260004800042653002600090653001400116653002300130653001100153100001500164700001400179700001500193700001700208700001400225700001600239700001500255700001400270245013200284856009100416300001000507490000700517520142600524022002501950       2026                            d  c09/2026bRevista Brasileira de Oftalmologia10aMycobacterium leprae 10aKeratitis10aocular alterations10aBrazil1 aOliveira J1 aSousa MMD1 aArraes JFA1 aRodrigues LF1 aConti ACM1 aSampaio ACM1 aArraes JCD1 aArraes TA00aAssessment of corneal sensitivity and ocular surface in Hansen's disease patients from a university hospital in Northern Brazil  uhttps://www.scielo.br/j/rbof/a/J6C39HmrMKJMPHmmYmGpPzz/?format=pdf&lang=en&ilang=pt_BR  a1 - 50 v853 a<p><strong>Objective:</strong>&nbsp; To evaluate changes in corneal sensitivity and ocular surface in leprosy patients from a university hospital in Northern Brazil.</p>

<p><strong>Methods:</strong>&nbsp; A case-control study was conducted with 16 leprosy patients (32 eyes) and 20 healthy controls (40 eyes). All participants underwent a single assessment that included ocular surface staining, tear film break-up time test, Schirmer I test, and corneal sensitivity testing using a Semmes-Weinstein aesthesiometer.</p>

<p><strong>Results:</strong>&nbsp; Most leprosy patients were male (68.8%), whereas the sex distribution was balanced in the Control Group. The mean age of the leprosy patients was 48.4 ± 19 years, compared to 33.7 ± 14.1 years for the control group. The Schirmer I test showed normal tear production in nearly all eyes (p = 0.061). Tear film instability (tear film break-up time &lt;10 seconds) was observed in 20 eyes, including two cases of severe dry eye. Reduced corneal sensitivity to the blue monofilament was detected in 12.5% of patients with leprosy. Punctate keratitis was present in 81.3% of the leprosy group's eyes, which was significantly different from the control group (p = 0.0266).</p>

<p><strong>Conclusion:</strong>&nbsp; Ocular surface alterations were more prevalent among leprosy patients, although not all individual parameters were statistically significant.</p>
  a0034-7280, 1982-8551