Abstract

A 33-year-old woman on chemotherapy for breast carcinoma presented with loss of tissue of the right lower eyelid margin with madarosis and corneal descemetocele formation. The possibility of either metastasis or primary eyelid malignancy such as sebaceous cell carcinoma given her immunocompromised state was considered. Another possible cause of extensive inflammatory blepharoconjunctivitis was because of the ocular side effects of chemotherapeutic agents given for breast cancer. A tissue biopsy from the local area was performed and the patient was started on topical medications for symptomatic relief. Histopathology revealed chronic inflammatory disease of the eye with no evidence of malignant cells. Smear for grams stain showed few pus cells, few epithelial cells, and no microorganisms. Pus culture was sterile which further confirmed inflammatory disease of the eyelid. Eyelid inflammation was the possible outcome of a chemotherapeutic side effect in an immunocompromised state.