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Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences

Vogt's striae in keratoconus

Vogt's striae in keratoconus

Category(ies): Cornea
Contributor: Christopher A. Kirkpatrick, MD
Photographer: Toni Venckus, CRA

Vogt's striae are vertical (rarely horizontal) fine, whitish lines in the deep/posterior stroma and Descemet's membrane commonly found in patients with keratoconus. It may be asymmetric depending on the degree of keratoconus in each eye. There is a positive correlation between the orientation of the lines with the steepest axis of the cornea and the mechanism is thought to be related to mechanical stress forces on collagen lamellae radiating from the cone apex. The striae can temporarily disappear with external pressure to the globe.