LATE-ONSET OF HAZE ASSOCIATED WITH VIRAL KERATOCONJUNCTIVITIS FOLLOWING PHOTOREFRACTIVE KERATECTOMY

BACKGROUND: To report a newly recognized cause of late onset of cornea l haze following photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). METHODS: A 35-year old woman who underwent uneventful PRK and subsequently developed vir al keratoconjunctivitis 1 year after treatment. RESULTS: During resolu tion of the viral keratoconjunctivitis, the patient developed extensiv e central corneal subepithelial infiltrates and anterior stromal fibro sis in the PRE: ablation zone. More than 1 year after the initial infe ction, the central subepithelial fibrosis persisted, complicated by my opic regression, central steep island on videokeratography, and loss o f five lines of spectacle-corrected visual acuity. By the end of the s econd year after the infection, visual acuity had improved with disapp earance of the central steep island on videokeratography. However, the myopic regression and subepithelial fibrosis remained. CONCLUSION: Pa tients who undergo PRK may be at greater risk of visual loss following viral keratoconjunctivitis secondary to persistent subepithelial infi ltrates and/or stromal fibrosis within the PRK treatment zone.