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Article
February 1945

SYNDROME OF NONSYPHILITIC INTERSTITIAL KERATITIS AND VESTIBULOAUDITORY SYMPTOMS

Author Affiliations

BOSTON
From the Howe Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, and the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary.

Arch Ophthalmol. 1945;33(2):144-149. doi:10.1001/archopht.1945.00890140064007
Abstract

The purpose of this communication is to describe a clinical syndrome that, to my knowledge, is not generally recognized. I have been able to find only 1 instance of it previously reported in the literature.1 The present report presents 4 cases. The syndrome consists of an interstitial keratitis associated with vertigo, tinnitus and usually profound deafness. The interstitial keratitis differs in its course and manifestations from that seen with congenital syphilis and occurs in persons in whom there are no signs or symptoms of syphilis. The cause of the syndrome is at present unknown.

The case previously reported1 was that of a man aged 26 whose initial complaints were photophobia, epiphora, pain and redness of the eyes. Examination revealed that these were due to a symmetric interstitial keratitis. Two months after the onset of ocular symptoms there developed severe vertigo, nausea, ringing in the ears, deafness, rotary nystagmus

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