Acitretin, a synthetic aromatic retinoid which regulates the proliferation, differentiation, and keratinisation of epidermal cells, is usually used to treat severe psoriasis or ichthyosis. The main side effects are teratogenesis and mucocutaneous forms of xerosis such as cheilitis and blepharoconjunctivitis.1,2 The biological effects of acitretin in non-epidermal cell lines, and especially those derived from ocular tissues,3,4 could explain the beneficial actions of acitretin in diseases other than skin disorders. We report a drastic improvement in tuberculosis related interstitial keratitis in a patient treated with acitretin for severe psoriasis. A 21 year old Moroccan man was referred to our ophthalmology department in 1992 …
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Marc Labétoulle (2002) studied this question.