Ocular Myasthenia Gravis with Severe Blepharitis and Ocular Surface Disease: A Case Report

Ocular myasthenia gravis (OMG) is an autoimmune disease of the neuromuscular junction and commonly associated with other immune diseases. We describe a 16-year-old female who presented to our clinic with 1-month complaints of diplopia and strabismus, visual acuity deterioration, and ocular irritation. Her examination showed crossed diplopia and alternating exotropia of 25 prism diopters, severe blepharitis, conjunctival hyperemia, corneal pannus, epithelial irregularities, and subepithelial opacities. Workup included pediatric neurologic examination, laboratory tests, imaging, and electrophysiological tests. Diagnoses of OMG and blepharitis with ocular surface disease were made. Topical treatment included eyelid hygiene, tea tree oil scrubbing, topical steroids, and tacrolimus ointment. Systemic treatment included corticosteroids, pyridostigmine, azathioprine, intravenous immunoglobulins, amitriptyline, and doxycycline. Both diseases were refractory to intensive immunosuppressive treatment and had simultaneous relapses and an intertwined course. Our hypothesis is that a shared immune mechanism may be the cause of both OMG and ocular surface disease in our patient.

Keywords: Blepharitis; Myasthenia gravis; Strabismus; Tacrolimus.