Ocular toxicity due to colours used during holi celebration in India: correlation of clinical findings with the anterior segment OCT.

PURPOSE: To correlate the anatomical extent of ocular surface toxicity due to colours using anterior segment optical coherence tomography (ASOCT) with the clinical findings.

METHODS: Patients presenting to our emergency department with ocular colour toxicity during the Holi festival celebrations from March 2 2018 to March 5 2018 were assessed for any adnexal, conjunctival, corneal, and anterior chamber findings, as well as findings on anterior segment optical coherence tomography.

RESULTS: A total of 21 patients were observed. The average age was 23 years with 16 patients being male (76.19%). Bilateral ocular involvement was more common (13 patients, 61.90%). Clinically, the corneal changes included localized punctate epitheliopathy (type I) in 12 patients (57.14%) and diffuse punctate epitheliopathy admixed with a variable sized epithelial defect (type II) in the other 9 patients (42.85%). The visual acuity among the former group varied from 6/6 to 6/9, whereas for the latter, it ranged from 6/12 to 6/24. On ASOCT in both the types, the superficial stromal involvement was noted up to 60 microns. Interestingly in two patients with type II corneal involvement, anterior segment involvement was noted in the form of staining of the lens capsule and dense anterior chamber inflammation.

CONCLUSIONS: Ocular toxicity due to colours used during Holi mainly involves the surface epithelium and the superficial stroma. This was observed clinically and also confirmed on ASOCT. The colour can rarely diffuse into the anterior chamber causing an inflammatory reaction and staining of the lens capsule. However, if managed appropriately, vision-threatening complications can be averted.