Ocular surface disease: a case of vernal keratoconjunctivitis

Vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) is a recurrent, chronic allergic inflammation of the ocular surface associated with remodeling of the cornea and conjunctiva, with a potential to adversely affect the patient's vision and quality of life. It affects mainly children and young adults. The purpose of this interventional case report is to present a typical case of limbal VKC, which was unresponsive to antiallergic treatment alone. A 5-year-old boy, who was previously unsuccessful with conventional anti-allergic therapy alone, presented with clinicopathological features pathognomonic of limbal VKC. The patient was successfully managed with a combination of palliative, anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory therapy. Prophylaxis with an anti-allergic pharmaceutical agent was initiated for long term use to prevent the release of allergic mediators. This case highlights the importance of prescribing the most appropriate pharmaceutical medication for VKC since conjunctival fibroproliferative lesions are often resistant to anti-allergy therapy. Allergic inflammatory mediators are responsible for the fibroproliferative changes of the conjunctiva and corneal lesions in VKC. Thus, it is crucial to prescribe the most appropriate pharmaceutical medication that will prevent the release of allergic inflammatory mediators, control the allergic inflammatory cascade and prevent ocular surface damage. The fine points of this case are presented with a review of applicable literature.