Transient Myopia with Severe Chemosis Associated with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To report a transient myopia with severe chemosis associated with systemic lupus erythematosus. METHODS: A 31-year-old woman was referred for decreased visual acuity of both eyes for 1 week. The patient came to the emergency medical center for facial edema and fever. She was examined and treated for systemic lupus erythematosus. Three years previously the patient underwent LASIK in both eyes, and maintained emmetropia postoperatively. RESULTS: At admission, spherical equivalent was -0.75D in the right eye and -6.5D in the left eye. On the 3rd day, the spherical equivalent was -11.0D in the right eye and -10.0D in the left eye and progressively decreased to -2.0D both eyes by the 12th hospital day. The mean corneal power was 39.8D in the right eye and 39.9D in the left eye on the 2nd hospital day and decreased to 38.8D in the right eye and 38.9D in the left eye by the 12th hospital day. The axial length change was not parallel with myopic changes. The anterior chamber depth was 2.14 mm in the right eye and 1.94 mm in the left eye on the 3rd hospital day and increased to 2.96 mm in the right eye and 2.84 mm in the left eye by the 12th hospital day. Under cycloplegic refraction, ciliary spasm was not evident. The bulbar conjunctivas were markedly chemotic on the 3rd hospital day, but after systemic steroid therapy the chemosis subsided and the conjunctivas became normal by the 12th hospital day. The patient was diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus and after medical treatment, was discharged from the hospital.