"Cocaine eye syndrome"

Our aim is to summarize the effect of cocaine on the ocular surface, the so-called "cocaine eye syndrome" and to present a case report. Several factors are responsible for the development of an ophthalmic disease during cocaine consumption such as direct cytotoxicity of the drugs on corneal epithelial cells, damaged corneal innervation, ocular surface desiccation due to reduced blinking reflex, low-degree chemical burn of corneal epithelial cells and mechanical abrasion of the ocular surface. In our 25-year-old patient, there was deteriorated visual acuity and corneal erosion with corneal deposits of the right eye, directly following drug consumption, which could be healed through corneal abrasion by use of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and therapeutic contact lens. If an ophthalmic examination reveals abnormalities with characteristics of "cocaine eye syndrome" and no other corneal disease affecting corneal innervation can be verified, the suspicion of drug use should be taken into consideration. Timely appropriate treatment may eliminate complaints, restore visual acuity and improve quality of life.