CLINICOMORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF CONJUNCTIVAL AND IRIDAL MICROCIRCULATION IN OPEN-ANGLE GLAUCOMA

Thirty-three conjunctival and iridal biopsy specimens obtained during surgery from 23 patients with glaucomas and 10 with cataracts were exa mined by funtional morphologic and morphometric methods. Fluorescent a ngiography of the anterior segment of the eye was carried out in 15 pa tients. Conjunctival and iridal biopsy specimens were embedded in epon , ultrathin sections stained with 1 % toluidine blue and polychromic s tains. Counts of obliterated, studged, dilated, and normal blood vesse ls and mast cells per mm2 were estimated. The degree of fibrosis was t aken into accout as well. The number of pathologically changed vessels in glaucoma patients was 1.5 times higher than in those with cataract s. The counts of sludged and obliterated vessels in the conjunctiva an d iris were in strict positive correlation. Early degree of intercellu lar matrix fibrosis was observed in all glaucoma patients and was 2.3/-0.2, whereas in cataract patients this value was 1.3+/-0.3. Two form s of fibrosis were distinguished: with active fibroblast proliferation and sclerosis with depositions of coarse fibrous tissue. Mast cell in dex in glaucoma patients surpassed twofold that in controls. The micro circulatory bed status and intercellular matrix fibrosis in glaucoma m ay be due to increased count of mast cells and their precursors basoph ils which may be the modulators of the above processes.