iNTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LEPROSY ^ Volume 64, Number I Printed in the USA. Climatic Droplet Keratopathy in Leprosy'

The occurrence of degenerative changes in the cornea in leprosy is well known. Band-shaped keratopathy is one such specific de-generative corneal condition that has been associated with leprosy-affected eyes (n). There have been no reports in the literature of climatic droplet keratopathy (CDK) be-ing associated with leprosy. CDK is the name given to a degenerative condition charac-terized by the accumulation of translucent material in the superficial corneal stroma within the interpalpebral strip, beginning peripherally and spreading centrally (6). A profusion of names based on race, geogra-phy, occupation, clinical appearance, and presumed etiology have been used to de-scribe what is likely to be a single patho-logical response in the cornea (2.4-8). Among the names that have originated to describe this condition, the term CDK has found wide acceptance. Clinically, two forms of CDK have been described ((). Primary CDK is found bilat-erally with translucent or golden-yellow de-posits occurring interpalpebrally and with-out evidence of other corneal pathology. In secondary CDK, the corneal findings reflect those of the responsible pathology, the gold-en-yellow deposits may surround areas of corneal vascularization, and the condition is usually unilateral. This paper reports the presence of an unusual form of CDK in the cornea of several leprosy patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS A disparate form of CDK was noticed in a few patients during routine ocular exam-ination of leprosy patients at the Schiefrelin Leprosy Research and Training Center, Ka-rigiri, India. In the cornea of these patients ' Received for publication on 27 April 1995; ac-cepted for publication in revised form on 26 Octobe