Canalicular stenosis in the course of primary herpes simplex infection

Editor,—Herpetic canaliculitis is rare. A report in the British literature suggests, however, that it is more common than is generally appreciated.1 The condition has been recognised as a distinct clinical entity only recently.2Bouzas3 found canalicular involvement in one out of 12 patients with primary ocular herpes simplex infection and estimated the incidence at about 8%. Among 130 cases of canalicular obstruction Coster and Welham1 considered herpes simplex infection the responsible agent in 20 cases, being 15%. We would like to report on an additional two cases of stenosis of the lacrimal canaliculi in the course of primary herpes simplex infection. ### CASE REPORTS The cases were virtually identical except for the age of the patients, respectively 14 and 12 years, and the eyes involved, respectively the right and the left eye. Both patients presented with a primary herpes simplex infection. On …