02024nas a2200361 4500000000100000008004100001260000900042653001500051653001000066653000900076653002200085653001000107653001100117653001700128653001100145653001100156653002500167653001200192653000900204653001600213653002400229100001500253700001200268700001200280700001400292700001600306700001200322245004700334300001100381490000700392520124900399022001401648 1994 d c199410aAdolescent10aAdult10aAged10aAged, 80 and over10aChild10aCornea10aEye diseases10aFemale10aHumans10aIntraocular Pressure10aleprosy10aMale10aMiddle Aged10aSensation Disorders1 aSekhar G C1 aVance G1 aOtton S1 aKumar S V1 aStanley J N1 aRao G N00aOcular manifestations of Hansen's disease. a211-210 v873 a

A detailed ophthalmic evaluation including slitlamp biomicroscopy, measurement of corneal sensitivity using Cochet and Bonnet aesthesiometer, Schirmer's test and Goldmann applanation tonometry was carried out in 89 patients of Hansen's disease attending the leprosy clinic with or without ocular symptoms and willing to undergo eye evaluation. Thirty-one patients had lepromatous leprosy (8 with erythema nodosum leprosum), 56 patients had borderline disease (13 with reversal reactions) and 2 had tuberculoid disease. In addition to the well documented changes of lagophthalmos (6.7%), uveitis (7.3%) and cataracts (19%), we noted prominent corneal nerves in 133 eyes (74.7%), beaded corneal nerves in 19 eyes (10.7%), corneal scarring in 10 eyes (5.6%), corneal hypoaesthesia in 51 eyes (28%) and dry eye in 18 eyes (13%). Beaded corneal nerves and/or stomal infiltrates occurred mainly in the lepromatous group (75%). Ocular hypotony (IOP less than 12 mm Hg) was not seen more frequently in Hansen's as compared to age and sex matched controls with refractive errors or cataracts (33.7%, vs. 37.8%, p = 0.33). Our study highlights the primary corneal involvement with corneal neuropathy as the predominant feature of Hansen's disease.

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