Treatment of Mooren's ulcer with topical administration of interferon alfa 2a

Objective: To report an apparently beneficial effect of topical interferon alfa 2a (IFN alpha 2a) as a single therapeutic agent in the treatment of Mooren's ulcer. Design: Two case reports. Participants: Two consecutive patients with unilateral Mooren's ulcer diagnosed at the cornea service of Gulhane Military Medical Academy from December 2004 to December 2005 were studied retrospectively. Intervention: Patients with a clinical diagnosis of Mooren's ulcer were treated with topical IFN alpha 2a until their lesions resolved. Main Outcome Measures. A review of medical records was performed to assess the duration and response to treatment with topical IFN alpha 2a drops, defined by clinical resolution of Mooren's ulcer. Results: Symptoms and signs in 2 eyes improved during the first week of treatment, and reepithelialization was achieved at 7 and 10 days. Visual acuity levels reached 20/25 and 20/30 within 1 month of treatment. No recurrences were observed during 1 year and 6 months of follow up. Conclusions: Topical IFN alpha 2a as a single therapeutic agent was an effective alternative in the treatment of our 2 patients with Mooren's ulcer. It offers the benefits of topical therapy and avoided surgical or other interventions that may lead to stem cell deficiency. Larger controlled studies are necessary to confirm the long-term efficacy and safety of this treatment.