Anterior segment fluorescein angiography in inflammatory diseases of the cornea

To study the vascular changes in inflammatory diseases of the cornea 22 patients with various corneal inflammations were examined by means of anterior segment fluorescein angiography. Simple avascular central and marginal corneal ulcers stained with fluorescein in the late phase of angiography. An inflamed limbus and an early microscopic pannus adjacent to the ulcer were seeen in simple corneal ulcers. Progressive pannus with pronounced fluorescein leakage was observed in chronic corneal ulcer, disciform keratitis, Mooren's ulcer, and complicated acute keratoconus. In sclerokeratouveitis and in gutter associated with rheumatoid arthritis the corneal vessels showed less leakage. The iris vessels showed fluorescein leakage as a sign of irritative iritis during the active stage of simple and chronic corneal ulcers, in disciform keratitis, Mooren's ulcer, and in graft rejection. It is concluded that anterior segment fluorescein angiography gives valuable information of the vascular architecture, flow and leakage in inflammatory diseases of the cornea.