Perilimbal aneurysms of conjunctival vessels in glaucoma patients.

Aneurysms of the conjunctival vessels occur frequently. Such aneurysms have even been described in glaucomatous patients but their significance in this condition is not clear. Because they may be of clinical value in some conditions, the extent of perilimbal aneurysms of the conjunctiva was evaluated in 20 normal-tension-glaucoma patients, 20 primary open-angle-glaucoma patients, and 60 controls. The extent of these aneurysms was graded as follows: none (0), faint (1-2), moderate (3-5), and copious (> or = 6). The group frequencies of these categories were 5%, 25%, 10%, and 60% in normal-tension-glaucoma patients; 40%, 40%, 20%, and in primary open-angle-glaucoma patients; and 43%, 32%, 12%, and 13% in control patients, respectively. The incidence of copious perilimbal aneurysms of the conjunctiva was significantly higher in normal-tension-glaucoma patients than in primary open-angle-glaucoma patients and controls (P < 0.0001). Because local medication cannot account for the differences in relation to the control group and because glaucoma patients differed mainly in that normal-tension-glaucoma patients had vascular risk factors, the reason for our finding might be related to circulation problems.