Bilateral crystalline corneal deposits as first clinical manifestation of monoclonal gammopathy: a case report

AIMSTo report the clinical and diagnostic findings of a patient with bilateral corneal deposits caused by an underlying monoclonal gammopathy. METHODSSlit-lamp biomicroscopy, confocal microscopy and additional serological tests were performed on a 35-year-old man presenting with bilateral crystalline corneal deposits. RESULTSThe patient was diagnosed as having monoclonal gammopathy based on elevated levels of serum immunoglobulin G. Confocal microscopy showed highly reflective (protein) deposits throughout the entire cornea, with the highest density in the epithelium and anterior stromal keratocytes. CONCLUSIONSMonoclonal gammopathy, a potential sign of a life-threatening disease, can lead to dense, bilateral corneal deposits. As such changes can occur long before ocular or systemic discomforts appear, an early diagnosis is crucial. Ophthalmologists should be aware of corneal deposits as potential warning signs of monoclonal gammopathy.