3 CASES OF WEGENERS-GRANULOMATOSIS ASSOCIATED WITH CHRONIC GLAUCOMA

This article reports on three cases of chronic glaucoma associated wit h Wegener's granulomatosis (WG). One case will describe a male patient presenting with a high rise in intraocular pressure (IOP) and advance d field loss possibly due to the use of systemic steroids. The other t wo cases will describe females with substantial field loss that progre ssed with only a low rise in IOP. Of the latter two cases, one did not receive steroid and the other received it only after the field loss w as established. None of these three cases had either focal or contiguo us ocular involvement from their WG. However, the widespread dissemina ted necrotising vasculitis seen in WG may affect ocular perfusion or a queous outflow aggravating any preexisting susceptibility to glaucoma. These cases raise the possibility of an association between WG and gl aucoma but do not prove it. They do, however, suggest the need for par ticular care with IOP in WG.