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