Ocular lesions in leprosy

Leprosy is the world's third leading cause of blindness. Mechanisms of ocular infection include direct or hematogenous invasion of the globe, or involvement of branches of the facial or corneal nerves, contributing to exposure keratitis. Lesions of ocular leprosy can be classified as potentially sight threatening or academic. A review of the world's literature showed no geographic or climactic trends in disease course. Leprosy in humans is contrasted with experimental disease in animal models; early experimental disease may be primarily neurally mediated rather than hematogenously mediated as previously thought.