Post

New research · Ophthalmology
Journal of AAPOS : the official publication of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus · 23h
Cohort studyJournal of AAPOS : the official publication of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus · 2026

Characterizing pediatric blepharokeratoconjunctivitis in an underserved urban setting.

Matthew E Wei, Joann J Kang
Read paper
OphthalmologyCohort study

Pediatric blepharokeratoconjunctivitis frequently recurred after treatment, especially severe disease.

Characterizing pediatric blepharokeratoconjunctivitis in an underserved urban setting.

Matthew E Wei, Joann J Kang
Journal of AAPOS : the official publication of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus · 2026
Background

Pediatric blepharokeratoconjunctivitis (pediatric blepharokeratoconjunctivitis) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the eyelid margin with secondary conjunctival and corneal involvement.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to characterize the clinical features, visual outcomes, and treatment of pediatric blepharokeratoconjunctivitis in a diverse, underserved metropolitan community in the United States.

Methods

A retrospective study was conducted of patients 16 years old or younger diagnosed with pediatric blepharokeratoconjunctivitis, who were identified using relevant Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine - Clinical Terminology (SNOMED CT) codes and manual chart review.

n = 60 patients
62%
Results
62%
more than 6 in 10 kids saw symptoms come back after treatment
n = 60 patients
More results

Most patients were female 35 (58%) and identified as Hispanic or Latino 33 (55%).

Bilateral involvement was observed in 38 patients (63%).

The most common symptoms were eye redness 52 (87%), recurrent chalazia 38 (63%), tearing 30 (50%), and ocular itching 30 (50%).

More results

Mean age at corneal involvement was 8.3 years old, with moderate and severe cases occurring about 3 years earlier than mild ones.

“
Conclusion

The high rates of corneal complications, visual impairment, and disease recurrence in our underserved urban cohort suggest the importance of early diagnosis and consistent follow-up.

Read paper
0 comments

No comments yet. Be the first.

Related papers

LatestFoundational
AI / Informatics
0·962 for OCT
MerMED-FM was very accurate at diagnosing diseases using eye scans
AI / Informatics
0.98
Artificial intelligence's eyelid-height measurements matched doctors' manual measurements almost perfectly
AI / Informatics
92.1%
combining eye scans and photos correctly told benign from cancerous lesions apart nearly every time
Cohort Study
28.6%
recurred locally in more than 1 in 4 patients over years of follow-up
Cohort Study
-0.395
excision group's post-op eyelid fullness score was lower - greater improvement
Cohort Study
86.7%
of infants probed after 12 months still had unresolved tear duct blockage
Observational
16%
eyelid tissue in rosacea patients showed less of this key repair-signaling protein inside cell nuclei
Cohort Study
25%
about 1 in 4 treated cases had symptoms return after improving