Abstract
Background: Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) is a chronic, recurrent, mostly bilateral, seasonal, allergic inflammation of the ocular surface, involving tarsal and/or bulbar conjunctiva occurring in children and young adults who may have associated eczema, rhinitis, asthma or family history of allergy.
Purpose: To study the clinical profile and systemic associations in patients of VKC presenting in a District Hospital set up of Northern India.
Material and Methods: All consecutive patients diagnosed as VKC presenting to eye OPD from 1 June 2018 to 31 May 2019 who consented to be a part of the study were included. Detail clinical history and ocular and systemic examination was done and recorded. The treatment prescribed and response was also observed.
Results: The total number of patients studied were 324. There were 217 males and 107 females. The main symptoms were itching seen in 85.21%patients, redness in 62% and watering in61.1% patients. The major signs were papillary hypertrophy seen in 78.4% patients, limbal gelatinization in 63.3 % patients and conjunctival congestion in 56.6% cases. Seasonal occurrence was found to be more common seen in 58.1% than perennial seen in 41.9%patients. There were 11 patients who had associated rhinitis, 8 had associated eczema, 6 had asthma and 5 had a family history of allergy.
Conclusions: VKC is a allergic disease of the eye, more common in adolescent boys. It may have varied presenting symptoms but papillary hypertrophy is the commonest clinical sign present.
Keywords: Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis, itching, papillae.
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Corresponding Author
Dr Arti Sareen
Medical Officer, DDUZH, Shimla
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v7i11.81
