Objective: To evaluate changes in corneal sensitivity and ocular surface in leprosy patients from a university hospital in Northern Brazil.
Methods: 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.
Results: 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 <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).
Conclusion: Ocular surface alterations were more prevalent among leprosy patients, although not all individual parameters were statistically significant.
BT - Revista Brasileira de Oftalmologia DA - 09/2026 DO - 10.37039/1982.8551.20260078 LA - ENG M3 - Article N2 -Objective: To evaluate changes in corneal sensitivity and ocular surface in leprosy patients from a university hospital in Northern Brazil.
Methods: 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.
Results: 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 <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).
Conclusion: Ocular surface alterations were more prevalent among leprosy patients, although not all individual parameters were statistically significant.
PB - Revista Brasileira de Oftalmologia PY - 2026 SP - 1 EP - 5 T2 - Revista Brasileira de Oftalmologia TI - Assessment of corneal sensitivity and ocular surface in Hansen's disease patients from a university hospital in Northern Brazil UR - https://www.scielo.br/j/rbof/a/J6C39HmrMKJMPHmmYmGpPzz/?format=pdf&lang=en&ilang=pt_BR VL - 85 SN - 0034-7280, 1982-8551 ER -