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pigment dispersion syndrome (Krukenberg's Spindle)
Epidemiology:
- rare
- most common in Caucasians
- 20-40 years of age
- more common in men
Pathology:
- pigment cells slough off from the back of the iris & float in the aqueous humor
- over time, these pigment cells can accumulate in the anterior chamber & clog the trabecular meshwork, impairing aqueous humor drainage
- intraocular pressure tends to increase with periods of spikes & normal pressure
- pigmentary glaucoma occurs when the intraocular pressure is great enough to cause damage to the optic nerve
Clinical manifestations:
- syndrome lessens & stops after age 40 years
Special laboratory:
- tonometry to measure intraocular pressure
Complications:
- pigmentary glaucoma
Management:
- see glaucoma
- lower intraocular pressure
- acetazolamide (carbonic anhydrase inhibitor)
- timolol
- YAG laser procedure is used to break up the pigment, & reduce intraocular pressure
- avoid contact sports, long-distance running or martial arts
- strong impacts can cause more pigment cells to slough
General
syndrome
chronic eye disease (chronic ophthalmopathy)
References
- Wikipedia: Pigment dispersion syndrome
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pigment_dispersion_syndrome