Characterizing pediatric blepharokeratoconjunctivitis in an underserved urban setting.

Cohort studyJournal of AAPOS : the official publication of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus· Jun 2026

Characterizing pediatric blepharokeratoconjunctivitis in an underserved urban setting.

Matthew E Wei, Joann J Kang

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OculoplasticsCohort studyClinical practiceQ2IF 1.0

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 · Jun 2026 · Q2 in Ophthalmology

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.

Characterizing pediatric blepharokeratoconjunctivitis in an underserved urban setting.

Characterizing pediatric blepharokeratoconjunctivitis in an underserved urban setting.

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