Prognosis in spontaneous phakolytic glaucoma.

Phakolytic glaucoma is a distinct entity characterized by oedematous and hazy cornea, deep anterior chamber, slightly turbid aqueous, and hypermature cataract. Intractable glaucoma results from obstruction of the anterior chamber angle by proteinaceous lens matter and characteristic macrophages (Flocks, Littwin, and Zimmerman, I955; Becker andShaffer, I965;Goldberg, I967;Duke-Elder, I969). Fortimelymanagementfromthe stand point of visual prognosis, it is important to differentiate it fromphakomorphic glaucoma (Appleton and Lowrey, I 959), which is caused by intumescent cataract, and from glaucoma occurring in the course of phakotoxic and phakoanaphylactic uveitis. During the past 18 months we have seen three cases of phakolytic glaucoma which were effectively treated with gratifying visual results. An important clinical sign, i.e. the persistence of pupillary reactions even in chronic cases, was recognized as helpful in differentiating phakolytic glaucoma from other types of lens-induced glaucoma.