Two Cases of Atypical Allergic Conjunctivitis Caused by Topical Administration of Brimonidine

Abstract

Purpose: To report two cases of atypical conjunctival lesions that differ from the well-known typical papillary or follicular conjunctivitis after the use of brimonidine. Case summary: In the first case, a 46-year-old female patient diagnosed with binocular normal tension glaucoma visited our hospital. After topical application of 1% brinzolamide/0.2% brimonidine fixed-combination eye drops for 7 months, a number of yellow follicles confined to the left upper bulbar conjunctiva with mild conjunctival injection and conjunctival edema were observed under slit lamp microscopy examination. After stopping brimonidine for 2 weeks, conjunctival injection and follicles decreased and, 1 month later, bulbar conjunctival follicles had disappeared completely. Since changing the eye drops to a brinzolamide/timolol fixed combination, there was no recurrence of the condition. In the second case, a 70-year-old female patient who had been diagnosed with binocular normal tension glaucoma a year ago had been using 0.15% brimonidine. On slit lamp examination, bilateral eyelid edema and overall diffuse conjunctival tissue hypertrophy and multiple follicles appeared on the upper and lower palpebral conjunctiva, the bulbar conjunctiva, the conjunctival fornix, and the lacrimal caruncle. Bilateral conjunctival biopsy was performed to differentiate conjunctival lymphoma, and granulomatous inflammation was confirmed by biopsy. After stopping 0.15% brimonidine treatment and changing to latanoprost, conjunctival lesions improved and there was no recurrence. Conclusions: If atypical conjunctival lesions are observed in patients using topical brimonidine, side effects related to brimonidine should be considered. Our results indicated marked improvement within 2 weeks of stopping brimonidine treatment.