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[Collagen fibrils in nanophthalmic sclerae]
T Fukuchi1, H Abe, S Sawaguchi
1Department of Ophthalmology, Niigata University School of Medicine, Japan.
Purpose:
To examine collagen fibrils in 3 nanophthalmos sclerae and to compare them with normal control sclerae morphometrically.
Materials And Methods:
Three cases of nanophthalmos associated with uveal effusion were studied. When sclerectomy was performed, scleral specimens were collected and fixed with 3% glutaraldehyde/2.5% paraformaldehyde. After epon-embedding and ultrathin sectioning, they were examined by transmission electron microscopy. Collagen fibrils from both nanophthalmos and normal control sclerae were compared in diameters and numbers per micron 2 areas.
Results:
All scleral tissues from the three cases were associated with irregularly woven and unclear collagen bundles. Several abnormal findings, such as twisting or fraying, were also detected in a few collagen fibrils. The diameter and density of normal-appearing collagen fibrils that occupied most areas of nanophthalmos sclerae were the same as those from normal control sclerae morphometrically.
Conclusions:
Although nanophthalmos sclerae even with uveal effusion showed thick irregular collagen bundles and a few abnormal collagen fibrils, most collagen fibrils appeared the same as normal controls.