Neurotrophic Keratopathy after Trigeminal Nerve Block for Treatment of Postherpetic Neuralgia

Figure 1

Slit-lamp images of the right eye showing the clinical course.(a) One week after the trigeminal nerve block, corneal epithelial defects, severe conjunctival hyperemia all around the periphery, cloudy and irregular corneal epithelium and Descemet’s membrane folds, and mild stromal edema were noted. (b) One week after the trigeminal nerve block, the corneal epithelial defects were shown using fluorescein staining. (c) One month after the nerve block, PED were noted. Severe conjunctival hyperemia, very severe corneal superficial neovascularization at 11 to 5 o’clock, and corneal stromal edema in the central cornea were also observed. (d) Two months after the trigeminal nerve block, the epithelial defects were improved but SPK, corneal superficial neovascularization at 11 to 5 o’clock, irregularity of corneal epithelium, and stromal scarring in the central cornea remained. (e) Five months after the nerve block, slight irregularity of corneal epithelium and stromal scarring in the central cornea were observed. Corneal superficial neovascularization showed signs of improvement although SPK remained. (f) Six months after the nerve block, SPK and conjunctival hyperemia, corneal superficial neovascularization, and corneal stromal edema were all improved.

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