Corneal mosaic patterns--morphology and epidemiology.

The corneas of 1485 consecutive patients were examined for the presence of a mosaic pattern. One hundred and ninety-nine peripheral mosaic patterns, ten posterior crocodile shagreens and two cloudy dystrophies were found. Peripheral mosaic pattern is age related and distinct from corneal arcus. Posterior crocodile shagreen is also age related and in one case was found to be unilateral. The morphology of the mosaic patterns is discussed.