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Dislocated lens may indicate Marfan syndrome
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Eye care professionals can play an early key role in diagnosing Marfan syndrome, a potentially fatal connective tissue disorder, according to the National Marfan Foundation.
A National Marfan Foundation (NMF) survey found about one-third of Marfan patients’ first warning they had the condition was a dislocated lens in the eye, but fewer than 20% said an ophthalmologist or optometrist was the first person to suspect they had Marfan syndrome, according to a press release.
“Early diagnosis is critical so that patients can take medications to lower their heart rate and blood pressure, make lifestyle adaptations and have their aorta monitored so they can have surgery before a potentially fatal tear or rupture,” Irene Maumenee, MD, a member of the NMF’s professional advisory board and director of ophthalmic genetics, University of Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, said in the release. “The eye issues, which also include myopia, amblyopia, strabismus, glaucoma and retinal detachments, are often early signs of the condition and can certainly impact quality of life; however, they should also raise a red flag that something potentially more serious is going on.”
Without early recognition of the problem, patients can experience a fatal aortic tear or rupture, the release said. Physicians can visit www.MarfanDX.org for diagnostic information optimized for their smartphones.