Vessel Cauterization as a Therapeutic Adjunct in Persistent Disciform Corneal Stromal Edema

Abstract

This is a case report of a symptomatic non‑clearing, vascularized, disciform, corneal stromal edema with a feeder vessel that has remained refractory to medical therapy of antiviral, steroid, and antibiotics, for a period of three weeks, but showed a rapid improvement in visual acuity of 0.1 Log mar within five days of feeder vessel cauterization, together with improvement of two psychometric scales in corneal cloudiness on a scale range of 0 to 3, clinical evidence of resolution of corneal edema, and subjective resolution of the patient’s symptoms. Cauterization was done under magnification with a ball cautery point warmed in a spirit lamp following topical anesthesia. This intervention may become handy in difficult non‑clearing corneal edema and prevent blinding consequences, in a low‑resource facility, in selected applicable cases.

Keywords: Cauterization, corneal edema, disciform corneal edema, embolization, feeder vessel, pannus, viral keratitis