VORTEX KERATOPATHY IN A PATIENT WITH MULTIPLE-MYELOMA

Purpose. We report a 52-year-old woman with vortex keratopathy (cornea verticillata) of unknown cause in whom multiple myeloma was found 18 months later. Methods, Surgical biopsy of conjunctival crystalline dep osits, which were stained immunohistologically and analyzed ultrastruc turally, as well as hematologic workup for multiple myeloma, were perf ormed. Results. Light microscopy of conjunctival deposits revealed pla smacytoid infiltrates in the conjunctiva, which stained monoclonally f or immunoglobulin G (IgG)-kappa light chains. Transmission electron mi croscopy showed intracellular hexagonal crystalline structures and ext racellular microfibrils. Hematologic tests confirmed the diagnosis of multiple myeloma. Conclusion, Multiple myeloma is one of the many caus es of vortex keratopathy.