Anterior Segment
Phlyctenular Keratoconjunctivitis
Also known as: phlyctenulis, phlyctenule, limbal nodule, corneal phlycten, staphylococcal hypersensitivity, TB conjunctivitis, phlyctenular disease, scrofulous ophthalmia
Clinical decision support only
OptoGuide™ supports professional judgement and does not diagnose or replace clinician responsibility.
Overview
A delayed hypersensitivity reaction (Type IV) of the conjunctiva or cornea to microbial antigens. Classically associated with Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigens in endemic regions; in developed countries most commonly triggered by Staphylococcal antigens from blepharitis. A phlycten (small, raised, nodular lesion) typically appears at the limbus and can migrate onto the cornea, causing photophobia, corneal scarring, and vascularisation.
What OptoGuide™ covers for phlyctenular keratoconjunctivitis
- Recognition patterns: symptoms, signs, and differentiators
- Don't-miss risks and escalation triggers
- Management tiers with linked Australian therapeutics
- Referral urgency, specialty, and letter drafting