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Corneal Pigmentations

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Encyclopedia of Ophthalmology

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Synonyms

Corneal pigmentations

Definition

Corneal pigmentation refers to discoloration of the cornea at any of its layers.

Etiology

Pigmentations of the cornea may occur with or without ocular or systemic disease (Biswell 2011). Multiple different forms of corneal pigmentation may be encountered; the most common etiologies include local or systemic exposure to metals and medications. Deposition may occur anteriorly from the tear film, peripherally through vasculature (in arcus), or posteriorly (through the aqueous) (Naumann and Apple 1986; Khurana 2007; Biswell 2011).

Occurrence

Iron deposition: iron deposition in the cornea may occur in significant quantity to become clinically visible. This generally involves epithelial uptake of iron from the tear film and therefore correlates with lid position and tear film stasis on the ocular surface (Khurana 2007; Biswell 2011).

The Hudson-Stahli lineis a horizontal line of deposited iron in the corneal epithelium at the junction of the upper...

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References

  • Biswell R (2011) Vaughan & Asbury’s general ophthalmology, vol 16, 18th edn. McGraw-Hill, New York, pp 692–695

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  • Khurana AK (2007) Comprehensive ophthalmology, vol 9, 4th edn. New Age International, New Delhi, p 234

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  • Naumann G, Apple D (1986) Pathology of the eye, vols 7 and 15, 1st edn. Springer-Verlag, New York, pp 386–309, 877

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  • Smolin G et al (2005) The cornea: Scientific foundations and clinical practice, vol 48, 4th edn. Lippincott Williams & Williams, Philadelphia, p 879

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dalhousie Medical School, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

    Brian Garrett

  2. Department of Ophthalmology, Cornea and Anterior Segment, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 1800 Orleans Street, Maumenee 327, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA

    Allen Omid Eghrari

Authors
  1. Brian Garrett
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  2. Allen Omid Eghrari
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Brian Garrett .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept of Ophthal & Optometry,AKH, Medical University of Wien Dept of Ophthal & Optometry,AKH, Wien, Austria

    Ursula Schmidt-Erfurth

  2. Department of Ophthalmology, Goethe University of Frankfurt am Main Department of Ophthalmology, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

    Thomas Kohnen

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© 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Garrett, B., Eghrari, A.O. (2014). Corneal Pigmentations. In: Schmidt-Erfurth, U., Kohnen, T. (eds) Encyclopedia of Ophthalmology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-35951-4_940-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-35951-4_940-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-35951-4

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