Mooren's Ulcer in a Cornea Referral Practice in Korea

Purpose: To investigate the clinical characteristics of patients with Mooren's ulcer in the Korean population, and to identify the risk factors that affect the therapeutic outcome. Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 33 eyes of 24 Korean patients who were referred to a cornea clinic and clinically diagnosed with Mooren's ulcer. Results: Despite intensive immunosuppression, corneal perforation occurred in 16 of 24 (66.7%) patients, which required tectonic graft. Age was significantly correlated with corneal perforation development: the age was 52.5 +/- 21.8 years in patients with perforation and 70.2 +/- 6.1 years in those without perforation (p = 0.036). Also, all 8 patients who were 55 years and younger had corneal perforation, while 8 of 16 patients older than 55 years developed perforation (p = 0.022). Other factors had no significant correlation with the occurrence of perforation. Conclusions: Young patients with Mooren's ulcer should be treated and carefully followed for high possibility of corneal perforation.