Synonyms
Definition
A breakdown of healthy corneal epithelium resulting in pinpoint defects with positive fluorescein, lissamine green, or rose bengal staining seen via a slit-lamp examination.
Etiology
Tear film instability, desiccation, or inflammatory changes of the cornea resulting in a breakdown of the healthy epithelium. Causes include infectious, allergic, neurologic, toxic, or autoimmune diseases. Inflammation from these diseases leads to a secondary tear deficiency that may then lead to further epithelial disruption.
Occurrence
PEE is a nonspecific sign that occurs in many disease processes, usually as a result of instability of the tear film. The location and pattern of the PEE are important to determine the causative agent.
Classification
A full medical history should be conducted targeting autoimmune disorders, infiltrative processes, infectious causes, neuropathic disorders, and endocrine dysfunction. During examination, one of the...
Further Reading
Krachmer J, Mannis M, Holland E (2013) Cornea: fundamentals of cornea and external disease. Mosby, St. Louis
(2011–2012) Basic clinical science course: external disease and cornea. American Academy of Ophthalmology
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Winkler, S. (2014). Punctate Epithelial Defects/Erosions. In: Schmidt-Erfurth, U., Kohnen, T. (eds) Encyclopedia of Ophthalmology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-35951-4_929-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-35951-4_929-1
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Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-35951-4
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