Bilateral keratoconjunctivitis associated with lichen planus.

PURPOSE: To describe a case of bilateral keratoconjunctivitis in a patient with lichen planus.

METHODS

Case report and review of the English literature.

RESULTS

To our knowledge, this is the fourth reported case of keratoconjunctivitis associated with lichen planus. A 33-year-old Navajo man with lichen planus had recurrent and progressive keratoconjunctivitis that failed to improve on multiple topical medications. Tapered oral prednisone, 2% topical cyclosporin, and amniotic membrane transplantation pacified the acute exacerbation.

CONCLUSIONS

Our patient with lichen planus developed an ocular surface disease with cicatricial conjunctivitis, keratouveitis, keratoconjunctivitis sicca, punctate epithelial erosions, and persistent epithelial defects leading to noninfectious or infectious corneal ulceration. Amniotic membrane transplantation may play an adjunctive role in refractory cases of lichen planus-related keratoconjunctivitis. Topical cyclosporin may stabilize the ocular surface when combined with systemic immunosuppression in severe cases.