OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical features, management, and long-term outcome of Infectious crystalline keratopathy (ICK).
METHODS: The medical records of clinically diagnosed and microbiologically proven cases of ICK were reviewed from January 2011 to December 2022. Clinical characteristics include the presence of whitish needle-like projections with branching, limited to anterior-mid stroma. Keratoplasty being the most common risk factor, graft-related microbial keratitis during the same period was also studied. The demography, clinical profile, microbiology, treatment, and outcome were analyzed, and compared with secondary graft infiltrate(GI).
RESULTS: Medical records of 24 cases with ICK were reviewed. The mean age was 49.3 ± 20.1 years, with 15(62.5%) males. Prior keratoplasty was done in 18 (75%) cases, with a mean graft size of 10.1 ± 1.5 mm, and mean interval between the last graft and presentation was 9.7 ± 6.2 (3-90) months. In comparison to GI (n = 24), ICK patients (n = 18,75%) were less symptomatic, presented late (7.3 ± 6.5 days vs 16.3 ± 19.4, p = 0.003), using frequent topical steroids (> 3 times/day, p =  0.006), smaller infiltrate size < 4 mm (p =  0.008), central (p =  0.02), less associated with epithelial defect (p =  0.0001), hypopyon (p =  of 0.0002), corneal perforation (p =  0.0006), and surgical management (p =  0.03). On microbiology, 22 (91.6%) ICK cases were culture positive, 14 (63.6%) gram-positive, 3 (13.6%) gram-negative, 2 (9%) mixed bacteria, and 3 (13.6%) fungus, comparable with GI.
CONCLUSIONS: ICK affects poor ocular surfaces usually following keratoplasty with larger graft size, the use of steroids being the most common association, and it responds to medical management as compared to GI.

BACKGROUND: We describe this first case of Staphylococcus epidermidis causing infectious crystalline keratopathy (ICK) following Descemet stripping endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK), that resolved after 5 weeks of topical antibiotic and corticosteroid treatment.
METHODS: An 80-year-old woman presented with blurred vision, redness, and ocular pain 9 months after successful DSAEK. Slit lamp examination revealed the presence of white, non-suppurative, deep-branching stromal infiltrates, and a clinical diagnosis of ICK was made. Cultures of corneal scapings isolated multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis. No subsequent surgical procedures were performed. Based on antibiotic sensitivity analysis, she was treated successfully with topical vancomycin and chloramphenicol for 5 weeks. Complete resolution of the infection with minor anterior stromal corneal scarring of the host cornea was noted after 5 weeks of treatment. This case report describes the diagnosis and management of ICK after DSAEK and reviews the relevant literature regarding the occurrence of ICK after DSAEK.
CONCLUSIONS: In this case, vancomycin and chloramphenicol allowed for the uncomplicated resolution of infection with only minor visual impairment from baseline.

BACKGROUND: Infectious crystalline keratopathy (ICK) is a rare corneal disease. ICK has been recognised in patients with immunocompromised cornea or post penetrating keratoplasty. Here we report a case of ICK in an apparently healthy cornea.
METHODS: A 25-years old Chinese female, with no history of systemic or ocular disease, presented to the eye clinic with one-month history of right eye (RE) blurring of vision with foreign body sensation. On examination, there were dense white crystalline needle-like projections over inferior paracentral corneal stroma with intact epithelium. There was also presence of lower eyelid epiblepharon with lashes rubbing against the diseased area. Corneal scraping cultures were suggestive of bacterial infection. Patient responded well with corneal epithelium debridement, intensive topical antibiotics and epiblepharon correction to prevent further microtrauma.
CONCLUSIONS: The only contributing factor for ICK in our patient was trichiasis from epiblepharon. Repetitive microtrauma caused by the eyelashes lead to direct penetration and inoculation of normal ocular flora into the corneal stroma. Clinicians need to be vigilant in ruling out other possible causes such as lid abnormalities when managing an ICK patient without apparent risk factors.

Atypical microbial keratitis refers to corneal infections caused by micro-organisms not commonly encountered in clinical practice. Unlike infections caused by common bacteria, cases of atypical microbial keratitis are often associated with worse clinical outcomes and visual prognosis. This is due to the challenges in the identification of causative organisms with standard diagnostic techniques, resulting in delays in the initiation of appropriate therapies. Furthermore, due to the comparatively lower incidence of atypical microbial keratitis, there is limited literature on effective management strategies for some of these difficult to manage corneal infections. This review highlights the current management and available evidence of atypical microbial keratitis, focusing on atypical mycobacteria keratitis, nocardia keratitis, achromobacter keratitis, and pythium keratitis. It will also describe the management of two uncommonly encountered conditions, infectious crystalline keratopathy and post-refractive infectious keratitis. This review can be used as a guide for clinicians managing patients with such challenging corneal infections.

We present the management of three cases of infectious crystalline keratopathy. The first one, in a 46-year-old patient with two previous penetrating keratoplasties; the second one, in a 46-year-old patient with chronic alcoholism and limbal insufficiency; and the third one, in a 70-year-old patient with bullous keratopathy. Other systemic conditions that may mimic infectious crystalline keratopathy, such as multiple myeloma, gout or cystinosis were ruled out on each patient by laboratory testing. The cases were managed with topical or topical and systemic treatment that led to the disappearance of the symptoms. Infectious crystalline keratopathy is a chronic and indolent pathology in which interlamellar bacterial plaques are observed in absence of apparent ocular inflammatory signs. Microorganisms penetrate the cornea through epithelial defects, commonly after a penetrating keratoplasty, although other risk factors may be present.

Purpose. to report malignant glaucoma and infectious crystalline keratopathy as complications after an uneventful Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK), and corneal clearance despite graft detachment after the surgery in a patient with pseudophakic bullous keratopathy. Method. A 81-year-old patient with high Intraocular Pressure (IOP) and flat anterior chamber with patent iridotomies after DMEK was diagnosed of malignant glaucoma. The medical approach being insufficient, the patient required a pars-plana vitrectomy, capsulo-hyaloidectomy, and surgical iridectomy. Results. The IOP was reduced and anterior chamber was repositioned after surgical management. Corneal clearance was observed despite graft detachment. The patient developed an infectious crystalline keratopathy after the resolution of malignant glaucoma. Conclusions. malignant glaucoma is a rare complication following DMEK. Corneal clearance can be attained despite graft detachment after DMEK probably due to an unintentional Descemet Membrane Endothelial Transfer (DMET). However, in low dosage, steroid treatment remains a risk factor for developing ICK. Abbreviations: PBK = Pseudophakic Bullous Keratopathy, DMEK = Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty, DMET = Descemet Membrane Endothelial Transfer, IOP = Intraocular Pressure, BCVA = Best Corrected Visual Acuity, AC = Anterior Chamber, MG = Malignant Glaucoma, ICK = Infectious Crystalline Keratopathy.

The incidence of microbial keratitis (MK) is variable worldwide with an estimated 1.5-2 million cases of corneal ulcers in developing countries. The complications of MK can be severe and vision threatening. Therefore, proper diagnosis of the causative organism is essential for early successful treatment. Accurate sampling of microbiological specimens in MK is an important step in identifying the infective organism. Corneal scrapping, tear samples and corneal biopsy are examples of specimens obtained for the investigative procedures in MK. Ophthalmologists especially in an emergency room setting should be aware of the proper sampling techniques based on their microbiology-related basic information for each category of MK. This review article briefly describes the clinical presentation and defines in details the best updated diagnostic methods used in different types of MK. It can be used as a guide for ophthalmology trainees and general ophthalmologists who may be handling such cases at initial presentation.

A 33-year-old male underwent an optical keratoplasty elsewhere in the right eye following which he developed endophthalmitis and subsequently underwent a pars plana vitrectomy and lensectomy. At presentation, he had a deep stromal crystalline infiltration along the graft-host junction. A large therapeutic keratoplasty was performed, and the excised corneal button was evaluated. Histopathology revealed gram-positive round-to-oval budding structures and microbiology identified the organism as Candida glabrata. He was treated with antifungals in the postoperative period. At 4 months after therapeutic keratoplasty, the patient developed recurrent endophthalmitis, following stoppage of antifungals. The treatment was reinstituted for another year, and the patient did well with a clear graft at 18-month-follow-up period after the recurrence episode. Management of infectious crystalline keratopathy with endophthalmitis is a challenging situation and requires long-term treatment.

Infectious crystalline keratopathy was first reported by Gorovoy and colleagues in 1983 when they identified bacteria colonizing a cornea after a penetrating keratoplasty. Subsequent cases have elaborated on the organisms responsible and the management outcomes. Patients present with a white or gray branching opacity originating from an epithelial defect, commonly after a penetrating keratoplasty. Local immunosuppression contributes to the quiescent nature and the limited inflammatory response associated with infectious crystalline keratopathy. Diagnosis of the infective pathogens may be difficult, with a corneal scraping often being too superficial to obtain an adequate specimen. A biofilm is present that advantages microorganism survival, reduces antibiotic bioavailability, and inhibits diagnostic microbial detection. Treatment begins with topical antimicrobials, initially broad spectrum and then targeted to microorganism sensitivity. Adjunctive therapies to enhance the efficacy of treatment include disruption of the microorganism biofilm by laser, intrastromal antibiotics, and keratectomy. In recalcitrant cases, or where corneal scarring ensues, corneal transplantation is required.

To report a rare case of infectious keratitis after collagen cross-linking (CXL) for keratoconus. A 20-year-old male patient underwent CXL for keratoconus in his right eye. Four weeks after the procedure, he reported blurred vision and redness with increasing pain in the treated eye. Ophthalmic examination revealed a corneal epithelial defect with corneal infiltrates that exhibited branching needle-like opacities. The patient was diagnosed with infectious crystalline keratopathy (ICK). Corneal scrapings and culture indicated the presence of Streptococcus sanguinis. The patient was successfully treated with fortified vancomycin and ceftazidime over several weeks. ICK is a potential post-operative complication of CXL that can lead to corneal scarring with a permanent reduction in visual acuity.