A Histopathologic Study of the Iris in a Patient with Exfoliation Syndrome.

Kwak, Il Hoon; Lim, Sung Jun; Joo, Myung Jin; Yoo, Jin Hyung

Original Article

Journal of the Korean Ophthalmological Society 1998;39(3):608-613.
Published online March 1, 1998.

A Histopathologic Study of the Iris in a Patient with Exfoliation Syndrome.

Il Hoon Kwak, Sung Jun Lim, Myung Jin Joo, Jin Hyung Yoo

¹Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, Inje University, Sanggye Paik Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
²Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, Inje Universtiy.

낙설증후군 환자의 홍채에 대한 병리조직학적 고찰

곽일훈(Il Hoon Kwak),임성준(Sung Jun Lim),주명진(Myung Jin Joo),유진형(Jin Hyung Yoo)

Abstract

The pathogenesis of the exfoliation syndrome is still unknown. To clarify the etiology of the exfoliation syndrome, we examined the iris taken from a patient with exfoliative glaucoma during cataract surgery using light microscope, polarization microscopy and electron microscopy. The amorphous substance around the iris pigment epithelium and stroma were stained purplish red in PAS staining and showed purplish red metachromasia in toluidine blue staining. In electromicroscopic examination, we observed that many fibrillar materials were deposited at basement membrane and partially detached basement membrane around the pigment epithelium of the iris. Therefore we concluded that the exfoliative materials in this syndrome is a sort of glycoprotein and originated from the abnormal synthesis and metabolism of the basement membrane in the eye.

Key Words: Exfoliation syndrome;Glycoprotein;Basement membrane