SEM STUDIES OF THE COLLAGEN ARCHITECTURE OF THE HUMAN LAMINA-CRIBROSA- NORMAL AND PATHOLOGICAL FINDINGS

The arrangement of the collagen fibrils of the lamina cribrosa was ana lyzed by using scanning electron microscopy with clinical regard to mo rphological alterations in cases of glaucoma at different stages. Adul t eyes with no apparent pathological changes and specimens from patien ts with absolute glaucoma were studied. In the lamina cribrosa of nonp athological eyes the collagen fibrils are arranged circularly around t he points of passage of axons and vessels. In specimens from glaucoma patients the characteristic circular alignment of the collagen fibrils around the penetrating axons is generally absent. The collagen fibril s are arranged in coarse bundles, showing no preferred alignment. The present study supports a new hypothesis for glaucoma pathogenesis.