OCULAR INVOLVEMENT IN TUBERCULOID LEPROSY - A CASE-REPORT

Leprosy is rarely diagnosed in our part of the world. In our 26-year-o ld patient, borderline lepromatous leprosy was first diagnosed in 1992 and was treated with Rifoldin(R), Lemprene(R) and Dapson(R) according to the standard WHO scheme of treatment. Ophthalmic examination showe d minor epithelial lesions of the cornea in both eyes, a reduced corne al reflex in the left eye and a scleral leproma nasally and close to t he limbus, also in the left eye. In 1995, the patient was examined aga in and was treated as above for lepromata of the left eyebrow nasally and of both lower legs. Ophthalmic examination revealed conjunctival i rritation, anterior uveitis with leprosy pearls on the pupillary margi n and secondary glaucoma. The glaucoma was treated with hypotonic, the uveitis was treated with topical cortisone. The intra-ocular pressure normalised and the uveitis improved. Of the two main types of leprosy , lepromatous leprosy and tuberculoid leprosy, our patient had the sec ond, milder form.