Ocular involvement in cutaneous leishmaniasis four cases with blepharoconjunctivitis

To determine the rate of ocular involvement in cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL).

Nine hundred and eighty seven cutaneous leishmaniasis patients diagnosed and identified by clinical examination and parasitological methods in Harrankapi Health Centre between January 1996 and November 1997 were examined at the Harran University School of Medicine Eye Clinic, Sanliurfa, Turkey.

One thousand seven hundred and three CL lesions were identified in 987 patients (484 women and 503 men) with ages ranging from 0 to 78 years (mean +/- SD 16.70 +/- 13.47 years). A total of 33 lesions were located on the eyelid and in the periorbital region, making up 1.93% of all cutaneous lesions and 3.57% of facial lesions. In three cases with ocular involvement, blepharoconjunctivitis was identified, and in one case with ocular involvement, mechanical ptosis, lagophthalmos and blepharoconjunctivitis were identified.

It was observed that the size of the lesions and their vicinity to the marginal free edge of the eyelid played an important role in the occurrence of ocular symptoms. It was concluded that many ocular findings could be missed because of the failure to conduct ophthalmological examination of CL cases with eyelid involvement, and hence, proper follow up and treatment may not be carried out.