Ocular atopy and mycotic keratitis

Abstract

In a retrospective analysis, we studied the association between ocular atopy and keratomycosis. Forty-one (26.3%) of 156 patients with fungal corneal ulcers were found to have preexisting allergic conjunctivitis. All patients had been using a combination of antibiotics and corticosteroids before developing the corneal ulcer. Fungus isolation on Sabouraud's agar medium was obtained in 74.8% (31/42) ulcers. The most common fungi isolated were Fusarium (32.3%) and Aspergillus (29%). One percent silver sulfadiazine was used as an antifungal agent in these patients. Overall efficacy of this drug was found to be 77.8%, with Fusarium being the most sensitive (87.5%).