Landolt Ring-Shaped Epithelial Keratopathy: A Novel Corneal Disease in a Non-Japanese White Patient

Landolt ring-shaped epithelial keratopathy is a corneal disease that has only been reported in 11 Japanese patients in 2014. 1 We describe the first case of Landolt ring-shaped epithelial keratopathy in the United States in a patient of European background.

This is a single case report with longitudinal care.

A 35-year-old White patient presented with a history of ocular burning, photophobia, and decreased vision. Corneal examination showed bilateral and asymmetric microcystic lesions in a unique Landolt ring (or the letter "C") shape, distributed randomly in the epithelium. Confocal microscopy revealed cellular ballooning and hyperreflective opacities in the basal layer of the corneal epithelium. The patient has had multiple recurrences of her symptoms year-round, each lasting 4 to 8 days. Topical treatment with cyclosporine, steroids, and lubrication resolved her symptoms but without complete resolution of signs on examination.

Our patient's clinical signs and symptoms are similar to those described previously in 11 Japanese patients. However, unlike those patients, our patient demonstrates symptomatic response to topical treatment, no seasonal association to her condition, and to date, incomplete resolution of her disease after more than 2 years. This case highlights that Landolt ring-shaped epithelial keratopathy, a novel corneal disease of unclear origin, has relevance outside of the Japanese population.