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Corneal hypoaesthesia in asymptomatic familial distichiasis

I Kremer, D Weinberger, S Cohen

    The British Journal of Ophthalmology
    |February 1, 1986
    PubMed

    Insights

    Distichiasis, a condition causing extra eyelashes, was found in a child and two relatives. The child also experienced corneal issues, including erosion, possibly linked to prior surgery and reduced tear production.

    Area of Science:

    • Ophthalmology
    • Genetics

    Background:

    • Distichiasis is a congenital condition characterized by the presence of extra eyelashes originating from the eyelid margin.
    • Corneal hypoaesthesia refers to reduced corneal sensitivity.

    Observation:

    • A familial cluster of asymptomatic distichiasis and corneal hypoaesthesia was identified in a 3-year-old child, his mother, and his uncle.
    • The child presented with bilateral punctate epithelial staining, unlike the unaffected adult relatives.
    • The child developed corneal erosion in the left eye secondary to decreased tear secretion post-neurosurgery (occipital craniotomy and C1 laminectomy).

    Findings:

    • The familial occurrence suggests a potential genetic component to distichiasis and corneal sensitivity.
    • The child's corneal epithelial staining and erosion highlight the vulnerability of the cornea in the presence of reduced tear secretion and potentially altered innervation.

    Implications:

    • This case underscores the importance of ophthalmological evaluation in familial cases of distichiasis.
    • It emphasizes the link between tear secretion, corneal health, and neurological interventions.
    • Further research into the genetic basis of distichiasis and its association with corneal sensitivity is warranted.

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