title: Outflow obstruction in pigmentary and primary open angle glaucoma.
abstract: To localize the site of outflow obstruction in glaucoma, we evaluated the trabecular meshwork tissues by morphometric methods. Thirty-three specimens from 27 patients with primary open angle glaucoma (n = 13), pigmentary glaucoma (n = 4), and pigment dispersion syndrome (n = 2), and from nonglaucomatous normal subjects (n = 8) were compared. In these specimens, the extent of aqueous channels and the area occupied by these channels where they terminate in cul-de-sacs were measured. In 32 nonglaucomatous normal specimens (six of the eight mentioned plus an additional 26), we discovered that 94% of the surface area of the cul-de-sacs is lined by trabecular cells. These measurements were used to calculate the resistance to aqueous outflow offered by cul-de-sacs. Three new concepts are advanced in this report: (1) the cul-de-sacs provide a major portion of the normal outflow resistance, (2) the cul-de-sac area is markedly reduced in pigmentary glaucoma and primary open angle glaucoma, accounting for a major portion of the increase in resistance in these conditions, and (3) macrophages are the major cell type responsible for trabecular meshwork clearance of pigment and debris. A common pathophysiologic sequence of events is proposed for the development of glaucoma in pigmentary glaucoma and primary open angle glaucoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of California School of Medicine, San Francisco 94143.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Alvarado
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Murphy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000502:physiology*; D002452:Cell Count; D005260:Female; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008264:Macrophages / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008875:Middle Aged; D014129:Trabecular Meshwork / Q000648:ultrastructure