As is well known to ophthalmologists, characteristic structures, called .deposits of Busaccaa, are seen in eyes affected with so-called senile exfoliation of the anterior lens capsule. In Norway the latter condition is demonstrable in 80-90 O/O of patients suffering from glaucoma simplex. These deposits, the anatomical structure of which originally was described by Busacca (1928) and lately subjected to a closer study by one of us (Sunde, 1956), occurs mainly on the anterior surface of the lens, on the posterior surface of the iris and ciliary body, along the fibres of the zonule of Zinn, and on the hyaloid membrane. The name commonly applied to the condition, senile exfoliation of the anterior lens capsule, was coined in the belief that the structures seen were no true deposits but a desquamation of a pathologically altered lens capsule. Although this belief was due to a misinterpretation of histological preparations (Sunde, 1956, Landolt, 1957, the term has been retained.The purpose of the present study is to expand our knowledge about the morphology of these deposits through the application of electron microscopy.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Wessely (1908) showed in animal experiments a parallelism between the general blood pressure and the eye pressure. Subsequent authors have discussed the relation between cardio-vascular diseases, among them arterial hypertension and glaucoma.Kraemer (1910) found no definite blood pressure difference in 45 patients suffering from glaucoma and 90 patients suffering from cataract.Kummel (1911, 1914) found, on the other hand, considerably higher blood pressure in 70 patients with glaucoma than in a control material of 90 patients. Only a small part of these glaucoma patients suffered from simple glaucoma. He found a lower average blood pressure in cases of simple glaucoma than in cases of other types of the disease, in spite of the fact that the former had a considerably higher average age. Gilbert (1912) compared blood pressure values of 20 patients suffering from simple glaucoma and 19 with glaucoma inflammatorium. Like Kummel he also found the lower blood pressure in the patients suffering from simple glaucoma, though they had the higher average age. Among the 20 patients with simple glaucoma only two were under 60 years of age.Craggs & Taylor (1913) and Mac Rae (1915) found no relation between general arterial hypertention and glaucoma.Elschnig (1917) compared the blood pressure in 162 glau-*) Received April lst, 1951.
Preface.This in vestigation wa under taken at the suggestion of Professor Dr. Th. L. Thomassen. During the investigation Professor Thomassen has been a con tant source of inspiration. H e has always gcncrou ly given his valuable time for discussions, and both in t he course of the in vestigation and in the preparation of the manuscript he has been ready with cri ticism and advice. I am deeply grateful for the great interest with which he has followed my work.I also wish to thank m~r pre\·ious chiefs, Professor Dr. B . :;\Ialling, formerly the head of the Un ive rsity E ye D epartment, Rikshospitalet, and Professor Dr. E. H~rvcn, the head of the University E ye D epartmen t, Ull ev~tl sykchus, for good advice and criticism, and for the a sistance they have gi\·en in placing material at my disposal.Professor Dr. L. Kreybcrg has allowed me to carry ou t histological examinations at his Institu te, where I have received technical assistance on the histological side of the investigation. H e has also advised me in correction of the manu ·cript. I am greatly indebted to Professor Kreybcrg, and I should like to express my gratitude for his assistance and good advice.Dr. K. Arnesen, of t he "In titutt for Gencrell og Ekspcrim en tell Pato-
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