OCULAR PEMPHIGOID

Course overview

OCULAR CICATRICIAL PEMPHIGOID (OCP) IS A FORM OF MUCOUS MEMBRANE PEMPHIGOID (MMP) THAT FEATURES CHRONIC, RELAPSING-REMITTING BILATERAL CONJUNCTIVITIS. ULTIMATELY, PATIENTS AFFECTED BY THIS AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE WILL EXPERIENCE CONJUNCTIVAL CICATRIZATION OR SCARRING. IF PATIENTS DO NOT RECEIVE TREATMENT OR DO NOT RESPOND TO TREATMENT, THEY WILL DEVELOP CORNEAL OPACIFICATION AND PERMANENT VISION LOSS. OCULAR CICATRICIAL PEMPHIGOID IS PRESENT IN ABOUT 60 TO 70 PERCENT OF PATIENTS WITH MUCOUS MEMBRANE PEMPHIGOID. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF OCULAR CICATRICIAL PEMPHIGOID AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN CARING FOR AFFECTED INDIVIDUALS.