Acanthamoeba Keratitis

Acanthamoeba Keratitis
  • Most commonly associated with contact lens use, corneal trauma and history of exposure to possibly contaminated fresh water.

Clinical Features

  • Symptoms:
    • Foreign body sensation, severe ocular pain, photophobia and blurred vision
    • Often pain is more severe than signs in early course of the disease
  • Signs:
    • Usually unilateral diffuse punctate epitheliopathy, dendritic epithelial lesion which may gradually progress to stromal infection associated with ring infiltrate formation
    • Enlarged corneal nerve ( keratoneuritis) is patognomonic of the infection
    • Scleritis may be found in advanced cases

Management

  • Early diagnosis a prognostic factor of a successful outcome.
  • Epithelial debridement.
  • Topical anti-amoeba agents.
  • Penetrating keratoplasty in a severe progressive keratitis.