Immunoglobulin A (IgA) deficiency and eye disease.

The finding of a deficiency of immunoglobulin A (IgA) in serum is not uncommon. In order to determine whether low serum IgA levels were associated with any particular ocular conditions, the immunological investigations of over 4,000 patients with a variety of ophthalmological disorders, performed at the Department of Pathology of the Institute of Ophthalmology, London, were reviewed and analysed. The study showed an apparent tendency to low levels in patients with conjunctivitis and thyroid disease. These findings are of theoretical interest rather than diagnostic value.