BAND KERATOPATHY IN VITAMIN D INTOXICATION

Abstract

THE ASSOCIATION of abnormal serum calcium with ocular manifestations was first reported by Meesmann in 1938. His case was one in which bandshaped opacities of the cornea and opacities of the conjunctiva developed when overdosage in treatment of hypoparathyroidism following thyroidectomy caused a high serum calcium. Since then, 36 cases of disturbed calcium metabolism with calcium deposits in the cornea, or in the conjunctiva, or in both have been reported.* Such deposits appear as subconjunctival crystals or white flakes, and as diffuse, superficial, gray corneal opacities in the palpebral fissure, denser near the limbus and fading toward the center of the cornea. Usually there is a clear area of 1 or 2 mm. between the opacities and the limbus, but two of the cases reported by Ojers and Alfano³ and the present case did not have this feature. Welsh and Howard⁴ reported that chemical analysis of affected conjunctiva