Ultraviolet Keratitis Follow-up

  • Author: Reed Brozen, MD; Chief Editor: Rick Kulkarni, MD   more...
 
Updated: Apr 15, 2011
 

Further Outpatient Care

  • Follow-up care with an ophthalmologist is not usually necessary for ultraviolet (UV) keratitis except in cases of extensive corneal damage or in patients with preexisting serious eye conditions.
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Complications

  • Superinfection, rarely
  • Vision loss, rarely
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Prognosis

  • Excellent for full recovery in 24-76 hours
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Patient Education

  • Educate patients about proper eye precautions, such as the use of UV-filtering lenses or limiting exposure to the sun.
  • For excellent patient education resources, visit eMedicine's Eye and Vision Center. Also, see eMedicine's patient education article Corneal Flash Burns.
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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Reed Brozen, MD  Director of Air Transport, Associate Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Dartmouth Medical School, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center

Reed Brozen, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, New Hampshire Medical Society, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Christian Fromm, MD, FAAEM, FACEP  Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine; Director of Research, Attending Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine, Maimonides Medical Center

Christian Fromm, MD, FAAEM, FACEP is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Eric M Kardon, MD, FACEP  Attending Emergency Physician, Georgia Emergency Medicine Specialists; Physician, Division of Emergency Medicine, Athens Regional Medical Center

Eric M Kardon, MD, FACEP is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD  Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine

Disclosure: eMedicine Salary Employment

James Steven Walker, DO, MS  Clinical Professor of Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center

James Steven Walker, DO, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians, and American Osteopathic Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

John D Halamka, MD, MS  Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Chief Information Officer, CareGroup Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School; Attending Physician, Division of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

John D Halamka, MD, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Informatics Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Rick Kulkarni, MD 

Rick Kulkarni, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Association, American Medical Informatics Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: WebMD Salary Employment

References
  1. Schein OD. Phototoxicity and the cornea. J Natl Med Assoc. Jul 1992;84(7):579-83. [Medline].

  2. Daxecker F, Blumthaler M, Ambach W. Ultraviolet exposure of cornea from sunbeds. Lancet. Sep 24 1994;344(8926):886. [Medline].

  3. [Guideline] Eye. Elk Grove Village: American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM); 2004. 77 p. [Full Text].

  4. Brown MD, Cordell WH, Gee AS. Do ophthalmic nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs reduce the pain associated with simple corneal abrasion without delaying healing?. Ann Emerg Med. Oct 1999;34(4 Pt 1):526-34. [Medline].

  5. Belin MW, Catalano RA, Scott JL. Burns of the eye. In: Catalano RA, ed. Ocular Emergencies. Philadelphia, Pa: WB Saunders Co; 1992:192-4.

  6. Brunette DD, Ghezzi K, Renner GS. Ophthalmologic disorders. In: Rosen P, Barkin R, eds. Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 4th ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby Year Book; 1998:2704.

  7. Crumpton KL, Shockley LW. Ocular trauma: a quick illustrated guide to treatment, triage, and medicolegal implications. Emerg Med Rep. 1997;18:223-34.

  8. Spencer WH. The Cornea. Ophthalmic Pathology. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: WB Saunders Co; 1996:233-35.

  9. Weaver CS, Terrell KM. Evidence-based emergency medicine. Update: do ophthalmic nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs reduce the pain associated with simple corneal abrasion without delaying healing?. Ann Emerg Med. Jan 2003;41(1):134-40. [Medline].

  10. Wittenberg S. Solar radiation and the eye: a review of knowledge relevant to eye care. Am J Optom Physiol Opt. Aug 1986;63(8):676-89. [Medline].

  11. Yen YL, Lin HL, Lin HJ, et al. Photokeratoconjunctivitis caused by different light sources. Am J Emerg Med. Nov 2004;22(7):511-5. [Medline].

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Diffuse uptake of fluorescein stain as seen in ultraviolet keratitis.
 
 
 
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