Purpose To investigate the histopathologic changes of macula lutea retinae in the elderly Chinese population,and to provide information for the cause of visiual disturbance in an autopsy study. Methods Two hundred and twelve eyes from 108 consecutive cases of postmortem (mean age of 78.4 years old) sections of the area of macula lutea retinae were studied by histopathology. Results Among the 212 eyes,hard drusen were found in 36.3% of eyes and soft drusen in 19.3% of eyes.The eyes with both of the above mentioned 2 types of drusens were found to be combined with RPE atrophy and RPE detachment;and subretinal neovascularization were found in 5.7% of these eyes and they were associated with obvious RPE atrophy and photoreceptor loss;3.2% eyes had posterior scleral staphyloma showing thinning of the sclera and choroid,RPE atrophy and apparent photoreceptor loss;2.4%eyes showed CME with the history of cataract surgery. Conclusion The macular affections,age-related macular degeneration,myopic macular degeneration and post-perative cystoid macular edema are varying in number in the above mentioned order successively,in elderly Chinese at an autopsy study. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis,2000,16:233-235)
PURPOSE:To examine the role of apoptosis in photoreceptor cells degeneration process in Pathologic myopia. METHODS: Nine human eyes with pathologic myopia were studied by histopathologic and TDT-mediated biotin-dUTP nick-end labelling (TUNEL) techniques. RESULT:The characteristic DNA fragmentation of apoptosis was observed in scattered photoreceptor cells in 4 of 9 eyes. CONCLUSION:The results suggested that apoptosis is one of the pathways of photoreceptor cells death in retinal degeneration of pathologic myopia. （Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis,1996,12: 144-146 ）