Spots before the eyes: a prevalence and clinicoradiological study of senile scleral plaques.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the prevalence and clinical associations of senile scleral plaques.


METHODS
Unselected, consecutive computed tomographic (CT) images of elderly people were reviewed for the presence of calcification indicating senile scleral plaques.


RESULTS
No definite calcification was seen in 100 men or 100 women aged 60-69 years; equivocal changes were seen in one woman. There were three definite examples and one equivocal case of calcification in 100 women and four definite cases in 100 men aged 70-79 years. However, in a group of 71 men and women patients aged 80 years or more, 16 definite cases were seen, indicating a prevalence of 22%.


CONCLUSIONS
Apart from advanced age, and a mild association with the extent of calcification of the carotid siphon, no clinical or radiological features were identified which consistently characterized a total of 28 patients with this form of ocular calcification; an association with cataract probably reflected simply the recruitment base. Scleral plaques would appear to be a degenerative phenomenon without clinical significance, most likely to be detected in patients presenting with unrelated ophthalmological complaints.
Moseley
I
I
Radiology Department, Moorfields Eye Hospital, City Road, London, EC1V 2PD, UK.
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D005123:Eye / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058225:Plaque, Amyloid / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D015995:Prevalence; D015422:Scleral Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed