Dual appearance of fluorescein staining in vivo of diseased human corneal epithelium. A non-contact photomicrographic study.

Adherence of fluorescein sodium dye to diseased epithelial cells, a hitherto unreported phenomenon, was captured in photomicrographs in severe herpes zoster and keratoconjunctivitis sicca keratopathies. It is notable that this phenomenon differs completely from the well known fluorescent property of the dye penetrating into defective corneal epithelium, and that the staining pattern shown by adherent fluorescein correlates well with the staining pattern shown by rose bengal dye.