Krukenberg's spindle is the name given to the pattern formed on the inner surface of the cornea by pigmented iris cells that are shed during the mechanical rubbing of posterior pigment layer of the iris with the zonules that are deposited as a result of the currents of the aqueous humor. The sign was described in 1899 by Friedrich Ernst Krukenberg (1871-1946), who was a German pathologist specialising in ophthalmology.[1]

Krukenberg's spindle
Slit lamp photograph showing Krukenberg's Spindle as pigment cell deposits on the cornea
SpecialtyOphthalmology

Diagnosis edit

Differential diagnosis edit

Iritis edit

  • Painful red eye with photophobia associated with inflammation

Vortex keratopathy edit

Corneal guttata edit

  • Non-transparent collagen deposits appearing following loss of corneal endothelial cells[3]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Krukenberg F. (1899) Beiderseitige angeborene Melanose der Hornhaut. Klin Mbl Augenheilkd 37:254-258.
  2. ^ Chew, E; Ghosh, M; McCulloch, C (June 1982). "Amiodarone-induced cornea verticillata". Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology. 17 (3): 96–9. PMID 7116220.
  3. ^ Akimune C, Watanabe H, Maeda N, et al. (January 2000). "Corneal guttata associated with the corneal dystrophy resulting from a betaig-h3 R124H mutation". The British Journal of Ophthalmology. 84 (1): 67–71. doi:10.1136/bjo.84.1.67. PMC 1723238. PMID 10611102.

External links edit