Exfoliation Syndrome: A Historical Perspective

The discoverer of exfoliation was John Lindberg of Helsinki, Finland. He conducted his research as a young ophthalmology resident with the aim of elucidating 2 types of age-related degenerations of the iris and presenting it as an academic thesis. To this end, he had to construct a slit lamp, because they were not commercially available. During this investigation, he paid attention to greyish flakes and fringes on the anterior lens capsule and the pupillary border, which had not been previously described. His material consisted of 202 patients. The findings were recorded by time-consuming skillful drawings. His conclusions that the condition was age-related and often linked to chronic glaucoma and cataract are still valid today. The work was accepted as an academic thesis at the University of Helsinki in 1917.