Ultrasound biomicroscopy of the eye in cystinosis.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the ocular ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) findings in patients with cystinosis.


METHODS
Six patients with infantile nephropathic cystinosis, aged 16 to 25 years, and 6 controls (matched for age and spherical refractive error) were examined clinically and with UBM. Scleral reflectivity, corneal and iris thickness, central anterior chamber depth, angle width, trabecular meshwork to ciliary process distance, and ciliary sulcus width were measured.


RESULTS
No patient had glaucoma or posterior synechiae, but all had crystals in the trabecular meshwork apparent with gonioscopy. Using UBM, the cornea and iris appeared similar in both groups, but the scleral reflectivity was increased in patients (P =.003). The angle was narrower in patients (mean +/- SD, 20 degrees +/- 7 degrees ) than controls (31 degrees +/- 5 degrees, P<. 001). The anterior chamber was shallower in patients (2556 +/- 197 microm) than controls (2968 +/- 284 microm, P<.001). The ciliary sulcus was closed or narrow in all patients (83 +/- 112 microm) compared with controls (339 +/- 135 microm, P<.001), with a reduction in the trabecular meshwork to ciliary process distance.


CONCLUSIONS
This report of ocular UBM findings in cystinosis demonstrated narrowing of the angle and a ciliary body configuration similar to that reported for plateau iris syndrome. Gonioscopy demonstrated crystals in the trabecular meshwork. These findings may explain the predisposition of these patients to glaucoma.
Mungan
N
N
Department of Ophthalmology, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Ave, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1X8.
Nischal
K K
KK
Héon
E
E
MacKeen
L
L
Balfe
J W
JW
Levin
A V
AV
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000867:Anterior Chamber / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D000869:Anterior Eye Segment / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000886:Anthropometry; D002924:Ciliary Body / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D003315:Cornea / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D003554:Cystinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006068:Gonioscopy; D006801:Humans; D007498:Iris / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008853:Microscopy; D014129:Trabecular Meshwork / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D014463:Ultrasonography