The pathogenesis and significance of pre-iridal fibrovascular membrane in domestic animals.
Abstract: Histologic examination was made of 1,419 globes from domestic animals (964 dogs, 374 cats, 41 horses, and 40 cattle) with ocular disease; pre-iridal membranes (rubeosis iridis) were found in 98. The membranes originated as endothelial budding from the anterior iridal stroma and seemed to mature into fibrous or fibrovascular membranes that were often followed by hyphema or, occasionally, glaucoma. Pre-existent disease in the 98 affected globes included chronic endophthalmitis (27/98), chronic glaucoma (24/98), anterior uveal melanoma (15/98), ciliary body adenoma (14/98), neoplasms metastatic to the eye (8/98), and chronic retinal detachment (6/98). In terms of likelihood of occurrence, pre-iridal membranes seen in 21% (6/21) of globes with retinal detachment, 19% (14/75) of those with ciliary body adenomas, 14% (24/167) of those with chronic glaucoma, and 10% (15/158) of those with anterior uveal melanoma. They were detected with greatest relative frequency in horses (9/41) followed by dogs (83/964), cats (5/374) and cattle (1/40). These membranes, which are rarely detected by clinical examination, probably form in response to angiogenic factors released by ischemic retina, by neoplasms, or by leukocytes involved in ocular inflammation.
Publication Date: 1990-01-01 PubMed ID: 2309380DOI: 10.1177/030098589002700106Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This research article explores the origins and significance of the pre-iridal fibrovascular membrane in domestic animals, and the conditions that may lead to its formation, such as retinal detachment, ciliary body adenomas, chronic glaucoma, and anterior uveal melanoma.
Research Methodology
- Researchers examined 1,419 eye globes from various species of domestic animals confronting ocular disease. This involved dogs, cats, horses and cattle.
- The focus of this study was primarily on pre-iridal membranes, otherwise known as rubeosis iridis.
- A detailed histologic analysis was undertaken to understand the origin and development of these membranes.
Findings
- Pre-iridal membranes were identified in 98 of the examined cases. These structures appeared to originate from budding of endothelial cells within the anterior iridal stroma (frontal section of the vascular middle layer of the eye) and matured into fibrous or fibrovascular membranes.
- This maturation was frequently linked to the occurrence of hyphema (blood within the front section of the eye) or, to a lesser extent, glaucoma.
- Underlying diseases in affected eye globes were as follows: chronic endophthalmitis (inflammation within the eye), chronic glaucoma, anterior uveal melanoma, ciliary body adenoma, metastatic eye neoplasms, and chronic retinal detachment.
- The precise statistics about the likelihood of occurrence were provided for each aforementioned pre-existing disease, with retinal detachment having the highest likelihood (21%).
- The prevalence of the membranes varied according to species, with greater frequency found in horses, followed by dogs, cats, and cattle.
Conclusion
- The formation of pre-iridal membranes is rarely detected through clinical examination.
- The researchers suggest these membranes may form in response to angiogenic factors, substances that stimulate the development of new blood vessels. These might be released by:
- Ischemic retina,
- Ocular neoplasms, or
- Leukocytes involved in ocular inflammation.
Cite This Article
APA
Peiffer RL, Wilcock BP, Yin H.
(1990).
The pathogenesis and significance of pre-iridal fibrovascular membrane in domestic animals.
Vet Pathol, 27(1), 41-45.
https://doi.org/10.1177/030098589002700106 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Animals, Domestic
- Cat Diseases / pathology
- Cats
- Cattle
- Cattle Diseases / pathology
- Dog Diseases / pathology
- Dogs
- Eye Diseases / pathology
- Eye Diseases / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horses
- Iris / pathology
- Iris / ultrastructure
- Microscopy, Electron
- Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
Citations
This article has been cited 10 times.- Jang Y, Kang S, Seo K. A retrospective study of the correlation of intraocular pressure and ultrasound biomicroscopy parameters with cataract maturity in small breed dogs. J Vet Med Sci 2025 May 1;87(5):503-508.
- Bedos L, Sandmeyer L, Campbell J, Grahn BH. Prevalence of pre-iridal monocellular and fibrovascular membranes in canine globes affected with congenital glaucoma associated with anterior segment dysgenesis, primary glaucoma associated with goniodysgenesis, and secondary glaucoma. Front Vet Sci 2024;11:1289283.
- Sandmeyer LS, Leis M, Bauer B. Diagnostic Ophthalmology. Can Vet J 2019 May;60(5):539-540.
- Telle MR, Betbeze C. Hyphema: Considerations in the Small Animal Patient. Top Companion Anim Med 2015 Sep;30(3):97-106.
- McLellan GJ, Miller PE. Feline glaucoma--a comprehensive review. Vet Ophthalmol 2011 Sep;14 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):15-29.
- Lim CC, Bakker SC, Waldner CL, Sandmeyer LS, Grahn BH. Cataracts in 44 dogs (77 eyes): A comparison of outcomes for no treatment, topical medical management, or phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation. Can Vet J 2011 Mar;52(3):283-8.
- Townsend WM. Canine and feline uveitis. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract 2008 Mar;38(2):323-46, vii.
- Grahn BH, Barnes LD, Breaux CB, Sandmeyer LS. Chronic retinal detachment and giant retinal tears in 34 dogs: outcome comparison of no treatment, topical medical therapy, and retinal reattachment after vitrectomy. Can Vet J 2007 Oct;48(10):1031-9.
- Cullen CL, Grahn BH. Equine glaucoma: a retrospective study of 13 cases presented at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine from 1992 to 1999. Can Vet J 2000 Jun;41(6):470-80.
- Grahn BH, Wolfer J, Smedile LE. Diagnostic ophthalmology. Can Vet J 1997 Jan;38(1):53-4.
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