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Thygeson's superficial punctate keratopathy

AI overview

Thygeson's superficial punctate keratopathy (TSPK) is a disease of the eyes.

Key points
  • The causes of TSPK are not currently known.
    source quote
    The causes of TSPK are not currently known
  • The disease was first described in 1950 by Phillips Thygeson.
    source quote
    details of the disease were first published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1950 by American ophthalmologist Phillips Thygeson (1903–2002), after whom it is named.
  • TSPK may affect one or both eyes.
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    TSPK may affect one or both eyes.
  • The disease has a relapsing-remitting course.
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    The disease may appear to go into remission, only to later reappear after months or years.
Symptoms
  • Patients may experience blurred vision, dry eyes, foreign body sensation, photophobia, burning, and watery eyes.
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    A patient with TSPK may complain of blurred vision , dry eyes, a sensation of having a foreign body stuck in the eye, photophobia (sensitivity to bright light), burning sensations and watery eyes.
  • Tiny lumps can be found on the cornea on slit lamp inspection.
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    On inspection with a slit lamp , tiny lumps can be found on the cornea of the eye.
  • Lumps are more easily seen after applying fluorescein or rose Bengal dye.
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    These lumps can be more easily seen after applying fluorescein or rose Bengal dye eye-drops.
  • Patients may exhibit punctate epithelial erosions.
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    TSPK patients may also exhibit punctate epithelial erosions .
Diagnosis
  • There are no proposed diagnostic criteria for TSPK.
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    There are no proposed diagnostic criteria for TSPK
  • Diagnostic features include bilateral punctate epithelial keratitis, chronic course with exacerbations and remissions, healing without scar formation, no response to antibiotics, and striking symptomatic response to topical corticosteroids.
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    (1) the presence of bilateral punctate epithelial keratitis; (2) a chronic course with exacerbations and remissions; (3) healing without scar formation; (4) no response to antibiotics; and (5) a striking symptomatic response to topical corticosteroids.
Treatment
  • Symptoms may disappear if untreated, but treatment may decrease healing time and chances of remission.
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    Symptoms may disappear if untreated, but treatment may decrease both the healing time and the chances of remission .
  • Artificial tear eye-drops or ointments may be suitable for mild cases.
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    Artificial tear eye-drops or ointments may be a suitable treatment for mild cases.
  • Low-dosage steroidal eye-drops such as prednisone, fluorometholone, loteprednol, or rimexolone may be used.
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    Low-dosage steroidal eye-drops, such as prednisone , fluorometholone , loteprednol (Lotemax 0.5%) or rimexolone .
  • Soft contact lenses may be used.
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    Soft contact lenses .
  • Ciclosporin is an experimental treatment.
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    Ciclosporin is an experimental treatment for TSPK.
  • Tacrolimus ointment is also an experimental treatment.
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    Tacrolimus (Protopic 0.03% ointment) is also an experimental treatment.
  • PRK laser eye surgery has been suggested in a case study as having cured the disease.
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    PRK laser eye surgery has been suggested in a one-person case study as having cured this disease.
Prognosis

The disease may go into remission and reappear after months or years; severity of symptoms often varies during the course of the disease.

AI-synthesized from the Wikipedia article “Thygeson's superficial punctate keratopathy”. Not medical advice. Verify source →
Thygeson's superficial punctate keratopathy
Other namesThygeson Superficial Punctate Keratitis
Full resolution of opacities. From Hasanreisoglu and Avisar, 2008.[1]
SpecialtyOphthalmology 

Thygeson's superficial punctate keratopathy (TSPK) is a disease of the eyes. The causes of TSPK are not currently known, but details of the disease were first published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1950 by American ophthalmologist Phillips Thygeson (1903–2002), after whom it is named.[2]

A patient with TSPK may complain of blurred vision, dry eyes, a sensation of having a foreign body stuck in the eye, photophobia (sensitivity to bright light), burning sensations and watery eyes. On inspection with a slit lamp, tiny lumps can be found on the cornea of the eye. These lumps can be more easily seen after applying fluorescein or rose Bengal dye eye-drops. The lumps appear to be randomly positioned on the cornea and they may appear and disappear over a period of time (with or without treatment). TSPK patients may also exhibit punctate epithelial erosions.[citation needed]

TSPK may affect one or both eyes. When both eyes are affected, the tiny lumps found on the cornea may differ in number between eyes. The severity of the symptoms often vary during the course of the disease. The disease may appear to go into remission, only to later reappear after months or years.

The causes of TSPK are not yet well known.[3]

There are no proposed diagnostic criteria for TSPK, but its diagnostic features are "(1) the presence of bilateral punctate epithelial keratitis; (2) a chronic course with exacerbations and remissions; (3) healing without scar formation; (4) no response to antibiotics; and (5) a striking symptomatic response to topical corticosteroids."[4]

There are a number of different treatments to deal with TSPK. Symptoms may disappear if untreated, but treatment may decrease both the healing time and the chances of remission.[citation needed]

  1. ↑ Hasanreisoglu M, Avisar R (December 2008). "Long-term topical cyclosporin A therapy in Thygeson's superficial punctate keratitis: a case report". Cases Journal. 1 (1) 415. doi:10.1186/1757-1626-1-415. PMC 2636787. PMID 19105827.
  2. ↑ Thygeson P (December 1950). "Superficial punctate keratitis". Journal of the American Medical Association. 144 (18): 1544–1549. doi:10.1001/jama.1950.02920180008004. PMID 14794375.
  3. ↑ Priyadarshini SR, Roy A, Das S (April 2021). "Thygeson's superficial punctate keratopathy: A review and case series". Indian Journal of Ophthalmology. 69 (4): 806–811. doi:10.4103/ijo.IJO_1624_20. PMC 8012948. PMID 33727439.
  4. ↑ Tang XJ, Liu Q, Pi LH, Chen XK, Chen L (January 2021). "Thygeson's superficial punctate keratitis (TSPK): a paediatric case report and review of the literature". BMC Ophthalmology. 21 (1) 64. doi:10.1186/s12886-020-01790-6. PMC 7845125. PMID 33514353.
  5. ↑ Tanzer DJ, Smith RE (November 1999). "Superficial punctate keratitis of Thygeson: the longest course on record?". Cornea. 18 (6): 729–730. doi:10.1097/00003226-199911000-00017. PMID 10571306.
  6. ↑ Noble J, Boerman H, Jiang W, Martén L, McCormick GJ, Pepose JS, Solomon R, Yeu E (June 2007). "Peer-Reviewed Literature: The Treatment of Thygeson's Superficial Punctate Keratitis". Cataract & Refractive Surgery Today: 21–23.
  7. ↑ Kobayashi A, Yoshita T, Sugiyama K, Miyashita K, Niida Y, Koizumi S, Tseng SC (January 2006). "Amniotic membrane transplantation in acute phase of toxic epidermal necrolysis with severe corneal involvement". Ophthalmology. 113 (1): 126–132. doi:10.1016/j.ophtha.2005.09.001. PMID 16324747.
  8. ↑ Goldstein MH, Feistmann JA, Bhatti MT (October 2002). "PRK-pTK as a treatment for a patient with Thygeson's superficial punctate keratopathy". The CLAO Journal. 28 (4): 172–173. doi:10.1097/01.ICL.0000024359.29208.59 (inactive 12 July 2025). PMID 12394540. S2CID 23076934.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of July 2025 (link)