rss
Br J Ophthalmol 1981;65:231-239 doi:10.1136/bjo.65.4.231
  • Research Article

Role of iris changes as a cause of blindness in lepromatous leprosy.

  1. T J Ffytche

      Abstract

      Clinical and pathological investigations in a group of 113 patients with leprosy of long duration demonstrated the importance of iris changes as a cause of blindness. In lepromatous leprosy the so called "chronic iritis" produces iris atrophy with small nonreacting pupils which exaggerate the visual impairment created by developing lens changes and corneal opacities. The cause of this "chronic iritis" is believed to be neuroparalytic from early involvement of the small nerves of the iris, particularly the autonomic supply. Clinical and pharmacological evidence for this theory is supported by the histological changes observed in 18 specimens of iris removed during the course of cataract surgery, with progressive atrophy of the iris preferentially affecting the dilator muscle and leading to a nonreacting miosed pupil. Further pharmacological and histological studies are to be undertaken on lepromatous patients with iris involvement with a view to establishing possible methods of prevention.

      This Article

      1. Abstract
      2. PDF

      Responses

      1. Submit a response
      2. No responses published

      Register for free content

      The full back archive is now available for all BMJ Journals. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006 right back to volume 1 issue 1. Register here to access the free archive of all BMJ Journals.

      Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.