Glaucoma in patients with ocular cicatricial pemphigoid

This retrospective review of 111 patients with ocular cicatricial pemphigoid (CP) identifies 29 patients (26%) with glaucoma. Twenty-seven of these patients had a history of glaucoma for a mean of 11.3 years before the diagnosis of CP was made. Most had advanced glaucoma, with a long history of medication use, optic nerve damage, and visual field loss. Patients with CP and glaucoma were more likely to manifest continued high-grade conjunctival inflammation than those with CP alone despite treatment for CP (P less than 0.05). Possible mechanisms including genetic susceptibility to both diseases, drug-induced conjunctival cicatrization, and CP-induced alterations in aqueous outflow are discussed. Physicians who care for patients with CP should remain mindful of the possible coexistence or development of glaucoma in this group of patients. Patients with glaucoma and chronic conjunctivitis of uncertain etiology should be referred for evaluation by physicians experienced in the detection and management of CP.