PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - A H Rahi
AU  - J L Hungerford
AU  - A I Ahmed
TI  - Ocular toxicity of desferrioxamine: light microscopic histochemical and ultrastructural findings.
AID  - 10.1136/bjo.70.5.373
DP  - 1986 May 01
TA  - British Journal of Ophthalmology
PG  - 373--381
VI  - 70
IP  - 5
4099  - http://bjo.bmj.com/content/70/5/373.short
4100  - http://bjo.bmj.com/content/70/5/373.full
SO  - Br J Ophthalmol1986 May 01; 70
AB  - This study documents for the first time light and electron microscopical changes in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) following treatment with high dose desferrioxamine for systemic iron overload. The changes include loss of microvilli from the apical surface, patchy depigmentation, vacuolation of the cytoplasm, swelling and calcification of mitochondria, and disorganisation of the plasma membrane. In addition, Bruch's membrane overlying degenerate RPE cells appeared abnormally thickened owing to the accumulation of large amounts of mature elastic fibres, pre-elastic oxytalan, and long spacing collagen. The specificity of these changes and the mechanism of toxicity are discussed.