Sunshine on holidays--eye risks.

Ultraviolet (UV) light is the most common cause of radiation injury to the eye which in acute exposure causes photokeratitis and photoconjunctivitis. After a whole day exposure to the sun on the Mediteranian coast patient presented with mixed conjunctival injection, chemosis, edematous corneal epithelium with superficially present fluoresceine positive small pinpoint defects. Epithelial bullous changes, circular stromal infiltration in the middle stromal perifery and reduction of corneal transparency were more pronounced on the left eye. After treatment moderate conjunctival injection remained together with circular stromal infiltration in the middle perifery, corneas were transparent, epithelialised and fluorescein negative. Anterior chambers and lenses were clear. One month after patient regained bilateral visual acuity of 1.0. To our kownledge, this case shows for the first time connection between acute ultraviolet radiation exposure and persistent circular stromal infiltration in the middle corneal perifery in humans.