| ABSTRACT:
The existence of exfoliation syndrome (XFS) has been documented for almost 100 years, but it has only recently been recognized as the most common identifiable cause of glaucoma worldwide. The characteristic appearance of flaky white material on the iris and lens makes the diagnosis of many of these cases obvious. However, more subtle cases can easily go undetected. Exfoliation syndrome is an age-related condition and the number of cases will continue to rise in the future. As many as 50% of XFS patients will develop glaucoma that is often more difficult to treat, and has a worse prognosis. Unfortunately, we still do not completely understand the pathogenesis and composition of the exfoliated material (XFM). This material can be found in all structures of the anterior segment and may be linked to more types of glaucoma than only the open-angle variety. It is known that XFS may be associated with narrow-angle glaucoma, lens subluxation, and cataract surgery complications. We are now finding that the XFM can be found in many other tissues and organs. This has led to the discovery of the possible association of XFS with systemic diseases. |
Author(s):
Victor Malinovsky, OD, FAAO; Khashayar Tonekaboni, OD
Company: Mediconcepts, Inc
Expire Date: 08/01/2006
CE Credits: 1
Price: $20.00
CE Format: PDF
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