pemphigoid

= bullous pemphigoid; n.

a chronic itchy blistering disorder of the elderly. The blisters most commonly occur on the limbs and persist for several days, unlike those of pemphigus. Pemphigoid is an autoimmune disease and responds to treatment with corticosteroids or immunosuppressant drugs. Ocular pemphigoid is a potentially blinding disease in which there is blistering and scarring of the conjunctiva, leading to dryness of the eye, and shortening of the fornices (the inferior and superior lines of reflection from the conjunctiva from the eyelid to the eyeball), due to adhesions to the eyelid.