Ocular complications of bone marrow transplantation

Abstract

Thirty-four patients who had undergone bone marrow transplantation (BMT) were examined; 83.3% of those who received single shot and none of those who received fractionated total body irradiation (TBI) developed cataracts. The use of steroids to treat chronic Graft Versus Host Disease (GVHD) produced more severe cataracts in those who had allogeneic transplants after single shot TBI, but follow-up has not been long enough to assess their effect following fractionated TBI. Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) was seen in 81.8% of patients with chronic GVHD and in 33.3% of patients after autologous BMT.