Topical retinoic acid therapy for disorders of the outer eye

Topical all trans retinoic acid (tretinoin) 0.1 per cent has been used to treat eight patients with squamous metaplasia and keratinisation of the conjunctiva. In four patients the changes followed Stevens-Johnson syndrome, one patient had chronic atopic kerato conjunctivitis, one had persistent epithelial erosions following sarcoid related kerato conjunctivitis sicca complicated by preservative induced epithelial toxicity, one had a recurrent Bowen like epithelial dysplasia and one had an unclassifiable primary ocular surface disorder. Improvement in symptoms and signs were noted in all patients but local irritation developed in some and the optimum dosage remains to be determined. Problems of formulation and stability of the preparation need to be solved before topical retinoid therapy can be more widely used.