Hidden eyelash mimics uveitis

Ultrasound biomicroscopy detected a foreign body concealed in the angle recess after inflammation subsided.

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A 13-year-old girl was misdiagnosed with HLA-B27–associated anterior uveitis due to an eyelash lodged in her anterior chamber angle.
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After surgical removal of the eyelash, the patient's inflammation resolved, and uveitis did not recur during 2 years of follow-up.
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The patient experienced redness, pain, and decreased vision for 3 months, with a best-corrected visual acuity of 20/250 in the affected eye.
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Ultrasound biomicroscopy revealed a hyperreflective focus consistent with an intraocular foreign body, leading to the discovery of the eyelash.
5

The case highlights that HLA-B27 positivity does not exclude other causes of ocular inflammation, and IOFBs can remain undetected.

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