Congenital corneal anesthesia: problems in diagnosis and treatment

Congenital corneal anesthesia (CCA) is an uncommon condition difficult to d iagnose. We report the case of a 9-month-old girl who presented bilateral c ongenital corneal anesthesia. The child had a corneal ulcer which had been unresponsive to adapted local treatment. Self-inflicted corneal injuries we re present. Local treatment and arm splints led to quick healing. CCA occur s either alone or in association with neurological diseases (familial dysau tonomia) or systemic congenital abnormalitites (Goldenhar-Gorlin syndrome). it is important to search for corneal anesthesia in children with chronic ulcerations of the cornea and self-inflicted injuries. Early diagnosis is i mportant due to the risk for the visual prognosis. Short and long-term prev ention of self-inflicted corneal injuries should be associated with a local treatment to assure rapid healing and a relapse-free outcome.