Purpose: To describe a rare case of systemic paraquat poisoning presenting with peripheral ulcerative keratitis.
Methods: Case report and literature review.
Results: Two days after a mouthful of paraquat ingestion, a 48-year-old man presented with painful oral ulcers, abnormal liver functions, and acute kidney injury, followed by the development of crescent-shaped corneal erosions along the limbus and progressive visual impairment in both eyes. Paraquat-induced peripheral ulcerative keratitis was suspected and the patient was treated with intensive topical steroid along with systemic steroid. He recovered completely with good visual outcomes after treatment.
Conclusions: Peripheral ulcerative keratitis is usually an immune-mediated ocular condition, and may be a complication associated with systemic paraquat poisoning. Proper diagnosis and adequate treatment are important for visual recovery.
Keywords: Complications; inflammation; paraquat; peripheral ulcerative keratitis; visual impairment.