Diagnosis and treatment of corneal ulcers in the course of systemic autoimmune diseases

Peripheral ulcerative keratitis is an inflammatory condition, usually crescent shaped and occurring in the corneal stromal region, where it is always associated with corneal stromal thinning. Peripheral ulcerative keratitis often occurs in the course of rheumatic diseases but is most commonly associated with rheumatoid arthritis. Peripheral ulcerative keratitis is also seen in granulomatosis with polyangiitis, polyarteritis nodosa, relapsing chondritis, and systemic lupus erythematosus. These diseases are analyzed in the article in relation to peripheral ulcerative keratitis with a discussion of individual treatment methods in specific cases.