ABSTRACT
Neurotrophic keratitis is a degenerative corneal epithelial disease and occurs as a result of damage to corneal innervation and consequent corneal hypoesthesia. Epithelial breakdown progresses from punctate keratitis and focal epithelial loss in early stages to persistent non-healing epithelial defects, stromal ulceration and melting in late stages. Pure neuroparalytic keratitis is secondary to fifth nerve palsy and may occur secondary to damage of the trigeminal nucleus, root, ganglion or any segment of the ophthalmic branch of the fifth nerve. A 35-year-old female presented with redness, watering, foreign body sensation and blurring of vision in the right eye for the past three weeks. The patient gave a history of three similar episodes in the past year and was diagnosed and managed as a case of recurrent herpes simplex virus (HSV) keratitis. The diagnosis was made primarily on the basis of clinical history and examination findings.
