Ocular and facial maldevelopment: the role of neural crest.

Three children are described who show a spectrum of clinical abnormalities affecting their eyes and non ocular tissues. These entities are best explained as disorders of neural crest migration and once recognised should lead to a search for other systemic developmental disorders. The mechanism of combined facial skeleton and eye malformation is discussed in the light of our current understanding of ocular embryology, and the justification for considering these and other entities as examples of Neurocristopathies is explored.