Fibrillopathia epitheliocapsularis (pseudoexfoliation): a clinical and electron microscope study.

The light microscopic and transmission and scanning electron microscopic findings from two cases of fibrillopathia epitheliocapsularis (pseudoexfoliation) are presented. The ciliary processes, posterior iris and preequatiorial lens capsule were found to be covered with a fine, white, flocculent material. Light microscopic examination revealed feathery, eosinophilic deposits on all three tissues; electron microscope studies showed the exfoilative deposits to be composed of a fine meshwork of fibrils ranging in size from 200-300 A. Fibrils were found on the apical surfaces of the epithelial cells, as well as on and throughout the epithelial cell basement membranes. The general distribution and possible sources of the pseudoexfoilative material are discussed with respect to other recent investigations. The value of the scanning electron microscope as a tool in pathological studies is presented.