[Ophthalmic manifestations after Lyell and Stevens-Johnson syndromes]

To describe the ocular complications at the end of serious drug eruptions such as Lyell syndrome or toxic epidemic necrolysis (TEN) syndrome, Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), and SJS/TEN overlap syndrome; to analyze their relationship using disease severity scores.

A retrospective study carried out in the dermatology department in collaboration with the ophthalmopathy department in a series of 81 dossiers collated over a 10-year period. The severity of ophthalmological involvement was evaluated using the Foster score, and the drug eruption score was assessed using the Bastuji-Garin classification and the SCORTEN prognostic score.

The average patient age was 36 years; the clinical forms seen were Lyell's syndrome in 57.8 % of cases, Stevens-Johnson syndrome in 32.8 % and overlap syndrome in 9.4 % of cases. According to the Foster classification, 34 % of patients were in stage I, 43 % in stage II, and 22 % in stage III. Stage I was seen in 50 % of cases presenting with overlap syndrome and in 42 % of patients with Stevens-Johnson, whereas stage III accompanied Lyell's syndrome in 27 % of cases, followed by SJS/TEN overlap syndrome in 16.6 % of cases. Photophobia persisted in 36 patients, and there were 17 cases of decreased visual acuity and 13 cases of eyelid malposition. Dry eye syndrome was noted in 39 cases and corneal perforation in 3 cases.

The ocular manifestations of drug eruptions are daunting. It was suggested that ocular involvement is more serious when the peeled skin surface is extensive.