Green cataract.
BACKGROUND
The term "green cataract" appears in the literature of the 16th century and at the same time it was mentioned that couching a green cataract would not restore the vision.


METHODS
The cases of a 54-year-old women and a 74-year-old man with green cataract and the diagnosis of vitreous hemorrhage and end stage rubeosis iridis with absolute glaucoma and no light perception is recorded. In the second case an enucleation was performed. An iron stain of the lens revealed heavy accumulation of iron in the lens epithelium.


CONCLUSIONS
Green cataract is a distinct entity. It is due to the presence of blood pigments from the breakdown of intraocular hemorrhage. It is usually accompanied by rubeosis irides and an absolute glaucoma. The observation, that surgery of these cataracts will not restore light, is also correct.
Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.
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Drews
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002386:Cataract / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D002387:Cataract Extraction; D004848:Epithelium / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007499:Iris Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014823:Vitreous Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery
D007501:Iron