Ocular fluorophotometric and angiographic findings in toxemia of pregnancy.

ABSTRACT

Ocular fluorophotometry was performed in 24 patients with hypertension due to toxemia of pregnancy and in ten normal subjects. Patients showing features of accelerated hypertension in the fundus (eg, hemorrhage, cotton-wool spots, and disc edema) were excluded from the study. Fluorescein concentrations in the aqueous and posterior vitreous increased significantly in toxemic patients compared with those in normal subjects; the blood-aqueous barrier was disrupted earlier than the blood-retinal barrier. Nevertheless, these barriers were only disrupted when the arterial diameter was altered. Ocular fluorometric abnormalities disappeared after delivery in all but two cases.