Mooren’s Ulcer in a Cornea Referral Practice in Korea

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the clinical characteristics of patients with Mooren’s ulcer in the Korean population, and to identify the risk factors that affect the therapeutic outcome.

Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 33 eyes of 24 Korean patients who were referred to a cornea clinic and clinically diagnosed with Mooren’s ulcer.

Results: Despite intensive immunosuppression, corneal perforation occurred in 16 of 24 (66.7%) patients, which required tectonic graft. Age was significantly correlated with corneal perforation development: the age was 52.5 ± 21.8 years in patients with perforation and 70.2 ± 6.1 years in those without perforation (p = 0.036). Also, all 8 patients who were 55 years and younger had corneal perforation, while 8 of 16 patients older than 55 years developed perforation (p = 0.022). Other factors had no significant correlation with the occurrence of perforation.

Conclusions: Young patients with Mooren’s ulcer should be treated and carefully followed for high possibility of corneal perforation.

• Age
• cornea
• Korean
• Mooren’s ulcer
• perforation

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.