Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: To describe the epidemiological characteristics of Pigmentary Glaucoma and Pigmentary Dispersion Syndrome in a Hispanic population in Bogotá, Colombia. Methods: One hundred and fourteen 114 eyes of 57 subjets with Pigmentary Dispersion Syndrome and Pigmentary glaucoma seen in the glaucoma clinic of the Military Hospital between January 1993 and March 2000 were evaluated. A complete ophthalmologic evaluation that included refraction, corneal and trabecular pigmentation, presence of transilumination defects, iris shape and insertion, intraocular pressure, Humphrey visual field evaluation, optic nerve and retinal examination. Results: Pigmentary glaucoma is one of the few glaucomas that occur in young patients. The classic triad of mid-peripheral iris transilumination defects, Krukenberg spindles of pigment deposit in the lower corneal endothelium, and heavy diffuse pigmentation of the trabecular meshwork constitute the major findings of pigment dispersion syndrome (PDS). The most common ocular disease accompanying PDS is the development of Pigmentary Glaucoma (PG), which occurs in 19 to 35 %. Higher degrees of myopia, the presence of of Krukenberg spindles, and male gender have been considered as major risk factors for conversion to glaucoma. Although Pigmentary Dispersion Syndrome is usually found before 40"s, that does not occur in our population where diagnosis is made closer to 50"s. The degree of myopia is related to the likehood of developing PDS an PG. The mean amount of myopia in PDS was – 1.6 and in PG was – 2.5 and females tend to be more myopic than males. A posterior or concave bowing of the mid-peripheral iris was seen in 37% of the population studied, while transilumination defects were seen in 17 % of PDS and 33 % of PG. Hispanics may be less affected than Caucasians because iris stroma is thicker, providing more support to the iris structure, and thus allowing for less posterior bowing. Conclusions: Pigmentary Dispersion Syndrome and Pigmentary Glaucoma were more frequently seen in female gender (62 %), and females tend to be more myopic than males. Iris findings are different in Hispanic population.
Keywords: clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: pre