Skip to main content
PMC home page
The British Journal of Ophthalmology logoLink to The British Journal of Ophthalmology
. 1980 Mar;64(3):154–163. doi: 10.1136/bjo.64.3.154

Aetiology of climatic droplet keratopathy and pterygium.

H R Taylor
PMCID: PMC1039379  PMID: 7387947

Abstract

The association of various personal, occupational, and environmental factors with climatic droplet keratopathy and pterygium was examined in a group of Australian Aborigines. Climatic droplet keratopathy was seen especially in aboriginal males who had worked as stockmen for more than 20 years. Although no definite association with a single causal factor could be made, there is circumstantial evidence for the importance of ultraviolet radiation. Pterygium was more commonly seen in those who worked outside, and it was positively correlated with lower latitudes and high ultraviolet levels.

Full text

PDF
154

Images in this article

156Image
on p.156
156Image
on p.156

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Ahmad A., Hogan M., Wood I., Ostler H. B. Climatic droplet keratopathy in a 16-year-old boy. Arch Ophthalmol. 1977 Jan;95(1):149–151. doi: 10.1001/archopht.1977.04450010149016. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Anderson J., Fuglsang H. Droplet degeneration of the cornea in North Cameroon. Prevalence and clinical appearances. Br J Ophthalmol. 1976 Apr;60(4):256–262. doi: 10.1136/bjo.60.4.256. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Awan K. J. The clinical significance of a single unilateral temporal pterygium. Can J Ophthalmol. 1975 Apr;10(2):222–226. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. BIETTI G. B., GUERRA P., FERRARIS DE GASPARE P. F. La dystrophie cornéenne nodulaire en ceinture des pays tropicaux a sol aride; contributions cliniques et anatomo-pathologiques. Bull Mem Soc Fr Ophtalmol. 1955;68:101–129. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. ETZINE S., KAUFMANN J. C. BAND-SHAPED NODULAR DYSTROPHY OF THE CORNEA. Am J Ophthalmol. 1964 May;57:760–763. doi: 10.1016/0002-9394(64)92222-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. FALCONE C. A tropical dystrophy. East Afr Med J. 1954 Oct;31(10):471–475. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. FREEDMAN A. LABRADOR KERATOPATHY. Arch Ophthalmol. 1965 Aug;74:198–202. doi: 10.1001/archopht.1965.00970040200013. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Fraunfelder F. T., Garner A., Barras T. C. Subconjunctival and episcleral lipid deposits. Br J Ophthalmol. 1976 Jul;60(7):532–535. doi: 10.1136/bjo.60.7.532. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Fraunfelder F. T., Hanna C., Parker J. M. Spheroid degeneration of the cornea and conjunctiva. 1. Clinical course and characteristics. Am J Ophthalmol. 1972 Nov;74(5):821–828. doi: 10.1016/0002-9394(72)91202-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Fraunfelder F. T., Hanna C. Spherodial degeneration of cornea and conjunctiva. 3. Incidences, classification, and etiology. Am J Ophthalmol. 1973 Jul;76(1):41–50. doi: 10.1016/0002-9394(73)90008-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Freedman A. Climatic droplet keratopathy. I. Clinical aspects. Arch Ophthalmol. 1973 Mar;89(3):193–197. doi: 10.1001/archopht.1973.01000040195006. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Garner A., Fraunfelder F. T., Barras T. C., Hinzpeter E. N. Spheroidal degeneration of cornea and conjunctiva. Br J Ophthalmol. 1976 Jun;60(6):473–478. doi: 10.1136/bjo.60.6.473. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Goldberg L., David R. Pterygium and its relationship to the dry eye in the Bantu. Br J Ophthalmol. 1976 Oct;60(10):720–721. doi: 10.1136/bjo.60.10.720. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Hanna C., Fraunfelder F. T. Spheroid degeneration of the cornea and conjunctiva. 2. Pathology. Am J Ophthalmol. 1972 Nov;74(5):829–839. doi: 10.1016/0002-9394(72)91203-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Johnson G. J., Ghosh M. Labrador keratopathy: clinical and pathological findings. Can J Ophthalmol. 1975 Apr;10(2):119–135. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Johnson G. J., Overall M. Histology of spheroidal degeneration of the cornea in Labrador. Br J Ophthalmol. 1978 Jan;62(1):53–61. doi: 10.1136/bjo.62.1.53. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Klintworth G. K. Chronic actinic keratopathy--a condition associated with conjunctival elastosis (pingueculae) and typified by characteristic extracellular concretions. Am J Pathol. 1972 May;67(2):327–348. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Klintworth G. K. The cornea--structure and macromolecules in health and disease. A review. Am J Pathol. 1977 Dec;89(3):718–808. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. McGuinness R., Hollows F. C., Tibbs J., Campbell D. Labrador keratopathy in Australia. Med J Aust. 1972 Nov 25;2(22):1249–1250. doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1972.tb47545.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. NATAF R., REYNON, BESNAINOU, UVELING N. Dystrophic cornéenne nodulaire en ceinture type Bietti. Ann Ocul (Paris) 1957 May;190(5):316–321. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Pilley S. F. The incidence and aetiology of blindness in Seychelles--1974. J Trop Med Hyg. 1976 Apr;79(4):72–82. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Rodger F. C. Clinical findings, course, and progress of Bietti's corneal degeneration in the Dahlak islands. Br J Ophthalmol. 1973 Sep;57(9):657–664. doi: 10.1136/bjo.57.9.657. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Rodger F. C., Cuthill J. A., Fydelor P. J., Lenham A. P. Ultra-violet radiation as a possible cause of corneal degenerative changes under certain physiographic conditions. Acta Ophthalmol (Copenh) 1974;52(6):777–785. doi: 10.1111/j.1755-3768.1974.tb01114.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Rodrigues M. M., Laibson P. R., Weinreb S. Corneal elastosis. Appearance of band-like keratopathy and spheroidal degeneration. Arch Ophthalmol. 1975 Feb;93(2):111–114. doi: 10.1001/archopht.1975.01010020117003. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Wong W. W. A hypothesis on the pathogenesis of pterygiums. Ann Ophthalmol. 1978 Mar;10(3):303–308. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Wyatt H. T. Corneal disease in the Canadian North. Can J Ophthalmol. 1973 Apr;8(2):298–305. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Young J. D., Finlay R. D. Primary spheroidal degeneration of the cornea in Labrador and northern Newfoundland. Am J Ophthalmol. 1975 Jan;79(1):129–134. doi: 10.1016/0002-9394(75)90470-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The British Journal of Ophthalmology are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES