[Arteriosclerosis of the orbital arteries].

BACKGROUND

The anatomy of the orbital arteries is well known, and their physiology is under intensive investigation. Their age-related or other pathologic alterations, however, are still largely unknown.

METHOD: We obtained at autopsy 16 orbits from 8 persons aged > 70 years, and 4 orbits from 2 persons between 40 and 50 years. Specimens were taken from 20 locations along the orbital arteries, from the internal carotid to the globe, and studied by light microscopy.

RESULTS

We observed the following arteriosclerotic changes, in order of decreasing frequency: intimal hyperplasia, medial atrophy, atherosclerotic fibrous plaques, and calcifications of the internal elastic lamina. The frequency and severity generally decreased with smaller arterial caliber.

CONCLUSION

Arteriosclerosis was ubiquitous in persons > 70 years of age. Degenerative changes in aged human orbital arteries may play an important role in ophthalmic vascular diseases.