GIANT FORNIX SYNDROME

Course overview

GIANT FORNIX SYNDROME (GFS) IS A CHRONIC DISEASE INVOLVING RECURRENT CONJUNCTIVITIS WITH ABUNDANT PURULENT DISCHARGE IN ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH ABNORMALLY DEEP FORNICES, PARTICULARLY BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY IN THE SUPERIOR CONJUNCTIVA. PATIENTS WITH GFS ARE IN THE OLDER AGE BRACKET, ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY ABOVE 65 YEARS OLD. THE DIAGNOSIS IS ONE OF EXCLUSION, I.E., RULING OUT OTHER COMMON CAUSES OF CHRONIC CONJUNCTIVITIS. TREATMENT INCLUDES TOPICAL AND SYSTEMIC ANTIBIOTICS, TOPICAL STEROIDS, AND CONJUNCTIVAL RESECTION. BECAUSE OF CHRONICITY AND RECURRENCES, PATIENTS MAY BE ON PROLONGED MEDICAL TREATMENT. SURGICAL TREATMENT MAY BE CONSIDERED FOR SEVERE CASES. THIS ACTIVITY EXPLORES THE ETIOLOGY, PATHOGENESIS, DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS, BEST TREATMENT, AND PROGNOSES FOR GFS.