Purpose: To report our experience with oral miltefosine (MLT) as an adjunct treatment for progressive Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK).Methods: Retrospective case series of all patients who underwent treatment with oral MLT for AK at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute from 2017 to 2020.Results: Six females from 16 to 55 years old, with a microbiologic diagnosis of Acanthamoeba, were treated with MLT and standard medical treatment. Four of the six cases deteriorated after initiating treatment and three required a therapeutic keratoplasty. Two patients improved after 1 week of MLT and optical penetrating keratoplasty was performed after clinical resolution. Microbiologic culture of corneal buttons was negative in all cases. All corneal grafts remain clear at last follow-up with best-corrected visual acuity of 20/40 or better.Conclusion: Oral MLT may be a viable adjunctive therapy for recalcitrant AK; however, its use may be associated with a severe inflammatory reaction. Further studies are needed to evaluate its efficacy and variable clinical response.
Keywords: Acanthamoeba; Cornea; impavido; infectious keratitis; miltefosine.