A Case of Herpetic Keratitis in an Orthokeratology Contact Lens Wearer

Abstract

We report a case of herpetic keratitis in an orthokeratology lens wearer. A 17-year-old man who wore an overnight orthokeratology lens for correction of myopia presented to our hospital with pain, lacrimation, and blurred vision affecting the left eye. His corrected visual acuity decreased to 18/20, and he showed dendrites and decreased corneal sensitivity in the left eye. The herpes simplex virus (HSV) immunochromatographic assay kit for the diagnosis of herpes epithelial keratitis was positive. As these findings were suggestive of HSV keratitis, topical acyclovir ointment was administered five times daily. All findings disappeared and visual acuity recovered to 20/20 at 14 days after the first visit. Herpetic keratitis rarely develops in orthokeratology lens wearers as well as contact lens (CL) wearers, although Acanthamoeba keratitis is sometimes erroneously diagnosed as herpetic keratitis in CL wearers with dendrites.