Eye manifestations in polycythemia.

Abstract

To the Editor.— Reading the important article by Drs. Edwards and Cooley about initial manifestations of polycythemia vera ( 214: 1463, 1970), I recalled experiences from my more than half a century of ophthalmologic research and practice. There are rare patients with therapy-resistant bilateral conjunctivitis of long duration. There is no discharge, no pain, but constant deep redness of both bulbi without preference to the pericorneal or to the equatorial area. Conjunctival and episcleral vessels are engorged and epinephrine instillations may somewhat reduce the redness for short periods. These patients see eye specialists and use prescriptions of eye drops without success. The condition is easily recognized in good daylight but missed in the darkroom with focal illumination. The unfortunate trend to screen out daylight in ophthalmologic offices contributes to the oversight of this early sign of polycythemia. These patients should benefit from early recognition and proper diagnosis before more serious symptoms