Dermatologic Tacrolimus Ointment on Eyelids in the Treatment of Refractory Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis and Atopic Keratoconjunctivitis

Treatment of vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) and atopic keratoconjunctivitis (AKC) is a challenge for the ophthalmologist and patients because of its wide variation in presentation and recurrence in nature. Patients has to be dependent on long term steroid control and suffered from complications, such as steroid glaucoma and secondary infection. About 32% of VKC patients is refractory to steroid treatment and another 35.4% of patients showed partial response. Tacrolimus ointment or eye drops are promising anti-inflammatory agents that have been shown very effective against VKC for patients suffering from severe VKC resistant to topical cyclosporine. Although tacrolimus eye drops is very effective in severe cases of VKC, unfortunately, it is only available in limited countries. Because of the unavailability of tacrolimus eye drops and side effect of long-tern steroid use, we tried to find other options for these severe VKC and AKC. Because there will be concomitant atopic dermatitis in the eyelid of severe cases of VKC and AKC, we retrospectively collected in cases using topical tacrolimus dermatological ointment on the skin of upper eye lid in the treatment of severe VKC and AKC with concomitant atopic dermatitis. Here, we reported 10 cases with either VKC or AKC whose symptoms resolved significantly with dermatologic tacrolimus ointment applying on eyelids.