[Observations on the corneal endothelium in glaucoma].

The corneal endothelia in 87 cases of unilateral glaucoma were studied with the TOCEB-160 IV specular photomicroscope, and the healthy fellow eyes served as controls. The endothelial cell density was found decreased in majority of the morbid eyes by an average 12.7% in acute angle-closure glaucoma (34 cases), by 5.34% in chronic angle-closure glaucoma (23 cases), and by 12.4% in glaucoma cyclitis syndrome (30 cases). The average diminution of endothelial cell densities after filtering operations in 16 eyes was 10.2%, and after Nd:YAG laser iridotomy it was 5.11%. The authors are of the opinion that estimation of endothelial cells before operations and precautions against endothelial damage during operations invading the anterior chamber are necessary, especially for cases with risk factors such as trauma, uveitis, persistent high IOP, old age, or history of intra-ocular surgery.