Ophthalmic changes in severe anorexia nervosa: a case series
Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 24, 2026

A Metadata Extraction Approach for Clinical Case Reports to Enable Advanced Understanding of Biomedical Concepts
Published on: September 20, 2018
Jennifer L Gaudiani1, Jon M Braverman, Margherita Mascolo
1ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders, Denver Health Medical Center, Denver, CO, USA. jennifer.gaudiani@dhha.org
Objective:
We describe the diagnosis and management of lagophthalmos, or failure of eyelid closure, in five patients with severe anorexia nervosa (AN) who complained of dry, irritated eyes and photophobia.
Method:
Five patients with these findings are described retrospectively.
Results:
Examination revealed lagopthalmos in the setting of ptosis and enophthalmos, with multiple other starvation-mediated medical complications.
Discussion:
These eye findings, as complications of AN, have not been described in the literature. With careful protective measures, initiation of nutritional rehabilitation, and intensively monitored early refeeding, these patients' ocular abnormalities and associated symptoms resolved completely. Recognition of this pathology and appropriate management can prevent long-term morbidity in the form of permanent loss of visual acuity due to corneal abrasions and improve the outcomes for these patients with severe AN.
Related Concept Videos
Anorexia Nervosa
Symptoms and Physical Effects
Individuals with anorexia nervosa commonly exhibit extreme...
Open Angle Glaucoma: Treatment
Drugs such as carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, α2- and...
Glaucoma: Overview
Bulimia Nervosa
Angle Closure Glaucoma: Treatment
Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways