Iris hamartomata as diagnostic criterion in neurofibromatosis.

We have investigated a personal series of 90 patients with the ("classical") peripheral form of neurofibromatosis (NF) for iris hamartomata (IH). Of subjects aged 6 years or older, 97% had IH. IH were unilateral in 8 patients. IH were not found in 44 unaffected first degree relatives of patients with NF or in normal persons seen during the study period. We consider IH a reliable diagnostic criterion to be added to the list of diagnostic features. In childhood the incidence of IH exceeds that of cutaneous neurofibromas and axillary freckling.