Lipid Keratopathy: A Review of Pathophysiology, Differential Diagnosis, and Management

Lipid keratopathy is a disease in which fat deposits accumulate in the cornea, leading to opacification and decrease of visual acuity. This condition can be idiopathic without signs of previous corneal disease or secondary to ocular or systemic diseases. Lipid keratopathy is usually associated with abnormal vascularization of the cornea, and the lipid classically deposits adjacent to these vessels. Treatment of this condition usually aims to eliminate or prevent abnormal vessel formation, and several modalities have been described. In this review we summarize the etiology, pathophysiology, and clinical presentation of lipid keratopathy and describe current and emerging treatment regimens.