Clinical features of secondary corneal amyloidosis

Purpose: To report the clinical features of secondary corneal amyloidosis. Cases and Method: This collaborative study was conducted by 6 institutions. Twenty cases were diagnosed with secondary corneal amyloidosis by slitlamp microscopic observation. Results: The series comprised 4 males and 16 females. The age ranged from 9 to 85 years, average 45 years. All cases were unilaterally affected. Corneal amyloidosis was caused by trichiasis in 12 eyes and by contact lens for keratoconus in 5 eyes. These basic lesions had persisted for 1 to 35 years, average 18 years. The corneal lesion appeared as elevated gelatinous drops in 15 eyes and as lattice in 5 eyes. It was located in the inferior sector in eyes with trichiasis and in the central cornea in contact lens wearers for keratoconus. Nine eyes had received lamellar keratoplasty, with fair outcome in 6 eyes. Conclusion: Secondary corneal amyloidosis mainly involves females in middle age, is due to trichiasis or keratoconus, is located at the site of corneal irritation, and appears either elevated or lattice-like lesion.