Lattice corneal dystrophy. Report of an unusual case.

The clinical, histochemical, light and electron microscopic evaluation of a case of lattice corneal dystrophy, appears clinically as an atypical granular dystrophy. There is structural and histochemical differentiation of the two dystrophies. Electron microscopy is often an invaluable aid in establishing a definitive diagnosis. The possible sources of the filamentous material found in lattice corneal dystrophy are discussed. It seems that not only keratocytes, but also corneal epithelial cells, occasionally may have the ability to elaborate the abnormal material that is considered to be amyloid in nature.

Reactive corneal endothelialization.

Results of a study of 100 consecutive enucleated globes showed an incidence of 22% of corneal endothelialization of the anterior chamber angle. Endothelialization had been overlooked in 15 of the 22 eyes in the original pathologic descriptions of the globes.

Intrusion of scleral implant associated with conjunctival epithelial ingrowth.

A 26-year-old boxer sustained a rhegmatogenous retinal detachment that was repaired successfully. Repeated blunt trauma caused a second retinal detachment two years later. Three attempts at repair by scleral buckling with diathermy and drainage of subretinal fluid were unsuccessful, and the eye was enucleated. Pathologic examination showed internal erosion of the intrascleral silicone implant into the vitreous compartment. Conjunctival-like epithelium lined the intrascleral bed of the implant and extended through the internal erosion onto intraocular structures, and this conjunctival epithelium was traced onto the external surface of the eye. Repeated dissection and applications of diathermy, combined with drainage of subretinal fluid, had weakened the sclera so that the silicone implant eroded internally and epithelium grew into the eye.