Hypoperfusion of the iris and its consequences in anterior segment pigment dispersal syndrome.

The effects of changes in iris perfusion in anterior segment pigment dispersal syndrome (ASPDS) were examined by iris fluorescein angiography in 29 patients (20 men and 9 women; mean age, 49 +/- 14 years; range, 29 to 77 years). All showed hypoperfusion, with mild to moderate microneovascularization. There was a significant relationship between the degree of hypoperfusion and pigment scatter (P < .05), and between the level of intraocular pressure (IOP) and angle pigmentation (P < .01). No statistically significant relation was found between hypoperfusion and iris leak, nor between the level of IOP and iris hypoplasia, hypoperfusion, leakage of dye, pigment scatter, or iris processes. These findings suggest that iris hypoplasia and hypoperfusion are the underlying causes of ASPDS with a congenital etiology.