[Spontaneous hematocornea after keratitis of various etiology].

Background: Corneal blood staining may occur as a serious complication of persisting hyphema. In our two cases the corneal blood staining is a result of direct bleeding in the corneal stroma.

History And Signs: A female patient presented with a corneal blood staining through rupture of reopened vessels in interstitial keratitis of congenital syphilis after physical effort with high blood pressure. The second patient presented with a blood staining caused by a vessel errosion after corneal ulceration.

Therapy And Outcome: The clearing of the blood staining is thought to be a result of the phagocytic action of the keratocytes and from a diffusion of hemoglobin into the conjunctival circulation and the anterior chamber (2). The therapeutic efforts are directed toward prevention of corneal blood staining. At the first sign of microscopic blood staining of the cornea a surgical evacuation of hyphema is necessary. In our two cases there wasn't a hyphema, so it was only possible to treated the corneal ulcer, entropion and systemic hypertension.

Conclusion: The clinician has to wait for a spontaneous clearing, although it may take 2 or 3 years or more. In this case a penetrating keratoplasty is indicated.