Ring keratitis from topical anaesthetic misuse

BACKGROUND: Topical anaesthetic abuse is now an established differential diagnosis of ring keratitis. Published evidence suggests that this condition often has a poor prognosis, with the eyes sometimes requiring penetrating keratoplasty or the patient becoming blind. METHOD: A case of topical anaesthetic abuse and its subsequent management is presented. Ocular examination including pachymetry and specular microscopy is reported. RESULTS: The cornea made an excellent recovery, allowing a visual acuity of 6/6. Pachymetry showed corneal thickening and specular microscopy demonstrated a decreased cell count in the affected eye. CONCLUSIONS: With prompt recognition and appropriate treatment the prognosis for these cases can be excellent. However, there is evidence to suggest permanent cellular damage to the endothelium.