[Effects of aging on fluorescein iris and angle photography in normal subjects]

In the present study we took the fluorescein iris and angle photography of normal eyes and studied them according to different age groups. The range of age in 108 eyes of 92 subjects was from 20 to 93 years. They were free from any systemic diseases or ophthalmic diseases which would cause iris rubeosis. Fluorography was carried out using a Mizuno Trabeculens to determine the leakage points of fluorescence from the iris and the angle. In the angle there were gonio vessels which revealed no leakage of fluorescein. They were observed in 8 of 30 eyes (27%) for subjects in the fifth decade of life or less and in 24 of 78 eyes (31%) for subjects aged 50-90. No significant difference was seen between the two age groups. As to variations of gonio vessels, radial ciliary body vessel was found in 23 eyes, radial iris vessel or trabecular vessel in 10 eyes, and circular ciliary band vessel in 7 eyes. In the pupillary margin no leakage was seen in 30 eyes of 30 cases in the fifth decade of life or less, while leakage was found in 33 of 78 eyes, 42 of 62 cases over the fifth decade of life. In the angle leakage was seen in 4 of 30 eyes, 13 of 30 cases in the fifth decade of life or less, while leakage was observed in 43 of 78 eyes over the fifth decade of life. These results suggested that leakage of fluorescence from the pupillary margin, the angle or both increases with age.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)