Topical tacrolimus ointment for treatment of refractory anterior segment inflammatory disorders

Purpose: To report 4 cases of patients treated with topical tacrolimus ointment 0.03% for ocular inflammatory conditions refractory to traditional treatment. Methods: Four patients were treated topically with tacrolimus 0.03% ointment twice daily: 2 patients with blepharokeratoconjunctivitis, I patient with severe atopic keratoconjunctivitis, and 1 patient with chronic follicular conjunctivitis. Results: Three patients had a dramatic improvement of their ocular condition as early as 2 weeks after starting tacrolimus ointment. One patient developed a herpes simplex virus dendrite after 1 week of tacrolimus use. Conclusion: Tacrolimus ointment appears to be an effective alternative for certain ocular inflammatory conditions refractory to traditional treatments. There may be an increased risk of herpes simplex virus keratitis associated with topical use. Our results support previous literature of patients benefiting from topical tacrolimus use.