Glaucoma : $b A symposium presented at a meeting of the Chicago Ophthalmological Society, November 17, 1913
Science
Glaucoma : $b A symposium presented at a meeting of the Chicago Ophthalmological Society, November 17, 1913
Glaucoma
The following hypothesis is based upon Fischer's edema theory of
glaucoma and the relation of the circulation of the eye and orbit and
that of the nose and the accessory sinuses, the minute anatomy of which
is not as yet thoroughly understood. However, sufficient work has been
done to make it appear that the lymph channels which drain the eyes and
orbits empty into the same main channel as do those which drain the
sinuses. Admitted for sake of argument that such is the case, then
disease either acute or chronic of one or more of the sinuses with the
accompanying inflammatory reaction, congestion and stasis, will cause an
increased amount of fluid to be taken care of by the lymph channels
draining these sinuses. This will in turn cause flooding of the common
lymph channel, producing a stagnation in the flow of fluid from the
orbits and eyes at the junction with the main channel, with backing up
of the fluid within these channels and retention of the waste products
within the orbits and eyes; thus will be brought about conditions most
favorable (to quote from Fischer's theory of glaucoma) "to an abnormal
production or accumulation of acid in the eye. In consequence of this
abnormal acid content the hydration capacity of the ocular colloids is
raised and glaucoma results, not because water is pushed into the ocular
colloids, but because these suffer changes which make them suck in water
from any available source."
This hypothesis also might suggest why the subconjunctival injection of
sodium citrate in addition to alkalinizing the ocular contents, may be
effective in reducing tension, _i. e._, the amount of fluid injected
beneath conjunctiva may overcome the stagnation in the lymph passages,
flush out these channels and improve ocular elimination.
Fischer in a personal letter says:
"You have two possibilities for the production of glaucoma with sinus
disease: A toxic factor due to poisons being carried into the eye; and
second, interference with a proper blood supply to the eye through
compression of the efferent or afferent blood vessels supplying the eye
from edema of the tissues about the eye consequent upon the sinus
infection. Either is associated with the production of substances which
increase the hydration capacity of the ocular colloids."
If such is the case why could not the existence of pyorrhea and blind
abscesses about the roots of the teeth be the source of the toxic
factors mentioned by Fischer? Hence the suggested association of the
dental surgeon with the ophthalmologist in these cases of apparently
idiopathic increased intra-ocular tension.
It would be well to state here a cursory examination of the mouth will
not discover root abscesses any more than such examination will
discover non-suppurative sinus disease. A careful examination of each
tooth together with radiograms of the entire maxilla are absolutely
essential to determine their presence or absence.
Trephining for Glaucoma
BY
ROBERT HENRY ELLIOT, M.D.,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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