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In vivo confocal microscopy of pine processionary caterpillar hair-induced keratitis
Rémy Jullienne1, Zhiguo He, Pierre Manoli
1*Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital, Saint-Etienne, France; †Corneal Graft Biology, Engineering and Imaging Laboratory, EA2521, Federative Institute of Research in Sciences and Health Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, Jean Monnet University, Saint-Etienne, France; ‡Department of Dermatology, University Hospital, Saint-Etienne, France; and §Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France.
Purpose:
Multimodal imaging of processionary caterpillar hair-induced keratitis with anterior segment optical coherence tomography and in vivo confocal microscopy.
Methods:
Case report.
Results:
A 25-year-old woman presented with acute keratitis induced by multiple tiny processionary caterpillar hairs. She initially experienced severe pain and moderate vision loss, which gradually improved within a few weeks. Diagnosis was confirmed by in vivo confocal microscopy showing a pathognomonic image strictly comparable with ex vivo microscopy photography.
Conclusions:
To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of corneal in vivo confocal imaging of a caterpillar hair with confirmation by ex vivo microscopy.
