Uveal damage in secondary glaucoma. A morphometric study.

In a morphometric study, we investigated histopathologic changes in the ciliary body and retinal pigment epithelium in eyes with secondary glaucoma. Eyes with malignant melanoma served as controls. The mean thicknesses of the ciliary muscle and inner connective-tissue layer of the pars plicata were significantly lower (P less than 0.001) in glaucomatous than in melanomatous eyes, as was the mean width of the stromata of ciliary processes (P less than 0.001). With increasing age, the ciliary muscle in melanomatous eyes became significantly thinner (P less than 0.001). The width of the stroma at the base of the ciliary process was significantly correlated with the thickness of the inner connective-tissue layer of the pars plicata in both groups of eyes (P less than 0.001). The mean number of ciliary processes was significantly lower in glaucomatous than in melanomatous eyes (P less than 0.001), as was the mean height of pigment epithelial cells in the midperipheral retina P less than 0.05). The present study revealed quantitative glaucomatous tissue changes in the ciliary body and retinal pigment epithelium.