CHANGES IN THE CORNEAL ENDOTHELIUM AFTER ACUTE ANTERIOR UVEITIS AS SEEN WITH THE SPECULAR MICROSCOPE

Abstract

Whether inflammation of the anterior uveal tract is accompanied by a loss of endothelial cells was investigated. Patients (13) with previous unilateral attacks of anterior uveitis were photographed with the non-contact specular microscope. All patients had an increased thickness or frank edema of the cornea during the acute phase of the inflammation. Only 2 patients (15%) showed endothelial cell densities on the affected side which were lower than expected from the normal difference between counts from left and right eye in a control population of 36 subjects. The 2 patients with detectable cell loss showed defects in the specular reflex. The significance is discussed.