Endothelial cell loss in herpes zoster keratouveitis

Abstract

Fourteen patients were followed up with slit-lamp, noncontact, and wide-field specular microscopical examination for anterior segment changes during unilateral attacks of keratouveitis due to varicella zoster virus (VZV). Ten patients had severe keratouveitis. Their affected eyes presented nonreflecting endothelial changes in different phases of the disease. The first non-reflecting changes suggesting virus endothelitis were observed at the onset of keratouveitis. These changes later recurred for several months. When the corneal oedema had subsided, the mean endothelial cell density of the affected eyes was on average 15·3% lower (p