title: Ultrasound biomicroscopy in chronic ocular hypotony: its impact on diagnosis and management.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the value of ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) in the assessment of ocular hypotony in cases where the underlying pathologic mechanism remains unclear after extensive clinical examination.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a retrospective study, the records of 60 patients who had undergone UBM to elucidate the underlying structural abnormalities of chronic ocular hypotony (intraocular pressure of 0-8 mmHg) were evaluated. Most patients (47 of 60 eyes) had a history of intraocular surgery or of other ocular diseases (e.g., uveitis), and after careful clinical examination, the cause had remained unclear. All patients were observed up for a minimum of 12 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The associated pathoanatomy of the hypotony was demonstrated by UBM in 95% of the cases. Ciliary body abnormalities were present in 80% of the eyes. Therapeutic intervention was associated with restoration of normal ocular pressure in 50% of the cases. Often more than one intervention was necessary. A long duration of hypotony did not impede reaching the therapeutic goal of normalizing intraocular pressure and preventing phthisis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ultrasound biomicroscopy is a new tool for detecting the underlying structural abnormalities in ocular hypotony. In cases where clinical examination is not sufficient it can be of great help in deciding on a course of treatment.
authors.affiliation: Center of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Germany. Sigrid.Roters@medizin.uni-koeln.de
authors.forename: Sigrid
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roters
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Szurman
authors.forename: Bert F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Engels
authors.forename: Karl U
authors.initials: KU
authors.lastname: Bartz-Schmidt
authors.forename: Gunter K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Krieglstein
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000869:Anterior Eye Segment / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D002924:Ciliary Body / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015814:Ocular Hypotension / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D013508:Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014603:Uveal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery