At first glance, harmless symptoms, such as blurred eyes, rainbow circles, fogging, can signal a serious disease - pseudoexfoliation syndrome. This pathology requires treatment and careful observation of a specialist - an ophthalmologist. You can not ignore the disease. This is fraught with serious consequences.
More about the disease
Pseudoexfoliation syndrome (according to ICD 10 - H04.1) is uveopathy, which is characterized by the deposition of protein on the structures of the eyeball. The disease has a direct relationship with the age of the person. The older the patient, the higher the risk of developing pathology. After 70 years, the likelihood of the syndrome reaching 42 percent. Along with this, the risk of developing glaucoma increases. It should be noted that pseudoexfoliation syndrome is more often diagnosed in women, but it is much easier for them than for the stronger sex. Residents of the northern regions are most prone to the onset of the syndrome.
Causes of occurrence
To date, not all the causes of the onset of the disease have been studied:
- UV radiation, the effect of which causes free radical oxidation and destruction of the cell membrane. The consequence of the action of ultraviolet rays is atrophy.
- Traumatic eyeball damage.
- Intraorbital infections.
- Violation of a complex indicator of the state of the immune system, which is confirmed by research results.
- A person’s genetic predisposition can also cause the appearance and further development of a pseudoexfoliation syndrome.
Doctors managed to identify a direct relationship between the syndrome and arterial hypertension, atherosclerosis, aortic aneurysm.
Pathogenesis
The leading influence on the development of pseudoexfoliation eye syndrome is the formation and long-term storage of abnormal protein on the surface of the eye. It is extremely rare to notice pathological formations on the anterior chamber. To date, it is known that the syndrome is directly related to the violation of the relationship between the structures of the eyeball with each other.
Disease classification
There are several degrees of pseudoexfoliation syndrome. Treatment depends on what type of pathology the disease belongs to:
- The first degree is characterized by a slight decrease in the size of the iris. In the area of the lens, a poorly defined layering of a specific protein-polysaccharide complex - amyloid is determined.
- The second degree is a moderate atrophy of the stroma of the iris. Protein deposits in the lens area are clearly visible.
- The third degree, in which the changes are pronounced. The transition region between the edge of the pupil and the inner part of the iris takes a different look and becomes like a cellophane film. This change is due to the divergence of the rays of different colors when passing through a refractive medium.
Only a qualified ophthalmologist can determine the degree of damage to the structures of the eyeball.
Symptoms
It is very difficult to notice the disease in the early stages, because for a long time it is asymptomatic. First, one eye is affected, most often the left. Pseudoexfoliation syndrome of both eyes is observed several years after the development of the first symptoms. As a rule, patients turn to specialists at that stage of the disease when protein deposits are quite massive and noticeable. People have blurred eyes, specific rainbow circles appear.
At the same stage, a decrease in visual acuity occurs. This phenomenon is due to damage to the lens, a decrease in the size of the sphincter of the iris and an increase in intraocular pressure. Subsequently, blurred vision, impaired refraction. Pain does not always appear, but only when the ligamentous apparatus is damaged.
The disease develops slowly. The severity of symptoms increases with the development of the disease itself.
It is worth noting that with pseudoexfoliation syndrome, symptoms appear not only in the organs of vision, but also in other structures of the human body. If the amyloid is in the liver, a feeling of heaviness in the region of the right hypochondrium is noted, less often - the appearance of a yellowish tint on the surface of the skin.
The syndrome often accompanies people with senile dementia, as well as chronic ischemia and Alzheimer's disease.
Complications
A complication of the disease is primarily nuclear-type cataract, accompanied by weakness of the ligamentous apparatus. This leads to displacement of the lens. A similar phenomenon is observed in more than half of patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome. The most serious consequences of the disease are optical neuropathy and blindness.
Diagnostics
To diagnose the syndrome, doctors use the following research methods:
- eye biomicroscopy;
- gonioscopy;
- contactless tonometry;
- Ultrasound eyes;
- ultrasound biomicroscopy;
- scopalamin test;
- visometry;
- perimetry.
Patients with the syndrome may need to consult other specialists. This is because protein formations can be located not only in the organs of vision, but also in other structures of the body.
Treatment
A system for the treatment of pseudoexfoliation eye syndrome aimed at eliminating the cause of the disease is not provided. The goal of conservative therapy is to prevent the development of severe complications and reduce the degree of symptoms.
A number of drugs are prescribed for patients:
- Antioxidants that inhibit the destruction of tissues of the eye structures.
- Antihypoxants. They are prescribed to improve metabolism and stimulate the process of tissue respiration. From this category of funds, “Cytochrome C” is used. Dropwise administration of the substance accelerates the healing of damage to the structures of the anterior segments of the eyes.
- With an increase in intraocular pressure, the doctor prescribes antihypertensive drugs.
- The complex of vitamins. For patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome, a structural analogue of vitamin B6 is provided, as well as vitamins A and E.
Long-term treatment is aimed at reducing the degree of manifestation of the main symptoms. In some cases, taking medication does not give the desired result. Then there is a need for surgical intervention. Manipulations can be carried out surgically or using a laser. The most effective is considered laser trabeculoplasty. However, this method of treatment only temporarily relieves the patient of such a symptom as an increase in intraocular pressure. After a few years, usually 3-4 years, relapses occur.