title: Ocular findings in patients with alopecia areata.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study investigated ocular findings in patients with alopecia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 42 patients with alopecia (31 male, 11 female; 84 eyes) and 45 healthy individuals (28 male, 17 female; 90 eyes) were enrolled in the study. Of the patients with alopecia, 34 had alopecia areata, seven had alopecia universalis, and one had ophiasis alopecia. Seven patients had eyebrow involvement and seven had eyelash involvement. Autorefractometry, keratometry, visual acuity, central corneal thickness and intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements, bilateral anterior and posterior segment examinations, Schirmer's tests, and visual field examinations were performed in both groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean ± standard deviation age of the subjects was 25.21 ± 10.88 years in the alopecia group and 28.24 ± 9.31 years in the control group. Lens abnormalities were observed in 35 eyes in the alopecia group and in 11 eyes in the control group (P < 0.05). Posterior segment abnormalities were seen in 29 eyes in the alopecia group and four eyes in the control group (P < 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in age, sex, visual acuity, refractive error, keratometric findings, IOP, central corneal thickness, perimetry, or Schirmer's test results between the alopecia and control groups (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with alopecia may have more lenticular and retinal findings than normal individuals, but those findings do not interfere with visual acuity. Close surveillance for the early onset of cataract formation is important in patients with alopecia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Yuzuncu Yil University, Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: Oktay
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Esmer
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Istanbul Medeniyet University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Remzi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Karadag
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Istanbul Medeniyet University Goztepe Research and Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ozgur
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Cakici
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Yuzuncu Yil University, Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: Serap Gunes
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Bilgili
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Yuzuncu Yil University, Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: Yuhanize Tas
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Demircan
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Istanbul Medeniyet University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Huseyin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bayramlar
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Istanbul Medeniyet University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ayse S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Karadag
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000505:Alopecia / Q000150:complications; D000506:Alopecia Areata / Q000150:complications*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002386:Cataract / Q000150:complications*; D005138:Eyebrows; D005140:Eyelashes; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D055815:Young Adult