[Inflammatory and regressive changes of the posterior surface of the cornea]

A 52-year-old woman contracted a serious influenza; three weeks later a dropshaped patch, whitish-yellow in color and deeply vascularized, was seen on the posterior upper surface of the cornea of one eye. It was accompanied by an anterior uveitis. The Tyndall phenomenon was positive. The sensibility of the upper quadrants of the cornea was reduced, temporally to 1.84 g/mm2, nasally to 3.20 g/mm2. Central vision was approx. 0.03. The condition was treated locally with steroid eye drops and generally with Diclofenac 2 X 50 mg. The infiltration became clearer as a result and vision increased to 0.8. Further examinations over a period of 2-1/2 years revealed crystal-like deposits and fiberglass-like structures. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate remained elevated. Since the etiology of these changes is still unknown, the authors suggest the purely descriptive term 'deep parenchymatous keratitis'. It would seem likely that this is a herpetic condition, especially in view of the decreased sensibility of the upper quadrants of the cornea.