Quiescent caterpillar hair: A rare cause of localised lenticular opacity formation.

PURPOSE: To report a rare case of a 65 year old patient with a single caterpillar hair with localised lenticular opacity around it and no active inflammation. OBSERVATIONS: A single quiescent caterpillar hair embedded in the anterior lens capsule causing localised cataract around it. There was no other sign of ocular toxicosis and the patient was unaware of the presence of this intraocular foreign body. CONCLUSIONS: Caterpillar hair (also known as setae) are a common cause of ophthalmia nodosa. These setae can penetrate intraocularly with ease to cause various forms of ocular toxicosis ranging from conjunctivitis, keratitis, pars planitis, chorioretinitis to even severe vitritis warranting enucleation. As per our knowledge and experience, no case of caterpillar hair without inflammation has been reported till date. We hereby report a rare case of a 65 year old patient with a single caterpillar hair embedded in the anterior lens capsule causing localised cataract around it without any active inflammation. In our opinion, if the eye is quiescent, the patient should be kept on close and long term follow-up and active intervention can be undertaken at the first instance of inflammation or if cataract progresses.

To assess the efficacy of vertical muscle surgery for management of hypotropia in monocular elevation deficiency type II.

AIM: To assess the efficacy of vertical muscle surgery for management of hypotropia in monocular elevation deficiency (MED) type II. Knapp's is described as standard procedure for management of MED type II. However, it is not graded and has unpredictable amount of correction. Besides this, there is drift towards overcorrection with time and limitation of movements in extreme adduction and abduction. MED is a vertical misalignment for which vertical muscle surgery is also described but limited literature is available. METHODS: Thirteen fresh cases of MED type II with hypotropia >20 PD and age >4 years were included in our interventional study. All cases underwent superior rectus resection and inferior rectus recession (vertical R&R) depending upon amount of preoperative deviation. Success was defined as hypotropia <5 PD at 1-year follow-up. RESULTS: Twelve patients (92.30 %) were aligned to within 5 PD. Six patients (46.15 %) had gain in elevation. Bell's phenomenon was improved in six patients (46.15 %). There was no limitation in down gaze in any patient. None gained stereopsis. CONCLUSION: Vertical R&R is a good alternative for MED type II with predictable amount of correction especially in patients with higher preoperative deviation. It spares horizontal muscles for correction of any associated horizontal deviation.