CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL REVIEW OF 1146 ENUCLEATIONS (1980-90)

The clinicopathological data of 1146 enucleated eyes obtained from 114 6 patients (485 females and 661 males; mean age 57.4 (SD 21.6) years) between 1980 and 1990 were reviewed. The most common underlying diseas es included trauma (37.4%), malignant tumours (19.6%), systemic diseas es (diabetes, vascular diseases) (17.1%), surgical diseases (retinal d etachment, glaucoma, cataract, corneal dystrophy) (14.1%), infection a nd inflammation (7%). The most frequent indications for enucleation we re secondary angle closure glaucoma (34.9%), ocular malignant tumours (21.7%), atrophia or phthisis bulbi (18.7%), ocular infectious or infl ammatory disease (14.7%), and recent trauma (enucleation was performed within the first month after trauma) (11.2%). Histopathologically, di agnoses included secondary angle closure (691 eyes or 60.3%), rubeosis iridis (550 or 48%), endothelialisation of the iridocorneal angle (19 8 or 17.3%), and retrocorneal membrane (143 or 12.5%). These data indi cate that rubeosis iridis, often followed by irreversible secondary an gle closure, represents the most common pathogenetic reason for enucle ating eyes. Management procedures must be directed towards the prevent ion or consequent therapy of rubeosis iridis.