Pigmentary glaucoma

ABSTRACT

Pigment Dispersion Syndrome [PDS] is characterized by loss of pigment from the iris pigment epithelium, with radial mid - peripheral iris defects shown by transillumination, and associated with the deposition of pigment on the zonules, anterior and posterior lens surfaces, corneal endothelium [Krukenberg spindle] and trabecular meshwork. This clinical appearance with persistently elevated Intraocular Pressure [IOP] is termed Pigmentary Glaucoma [PG]. It is generally believed that the accumulation of pigment in the aqueous outflow system, leading to obstruction and damage of trabecular meshwork, causes elevation of IOP and the development of pigmentary glaucoma [PG]. Hence both pigment dispersion syndrome [PDS] and pigmentary glaucoma [PG] have the same clinical and gonioscopic features except for the presence of elevated intraocular pressure which occurs only in PG