Leukemias

Abstract

Leukemias and other myeloproliferative disorders are due to acquired clonal abnormalities of hematopoietic stem cells. Stem cells give rise to myeloid, erythroid, and platelet cells, and individuals with myeloproliferative disorders will have both qualitative and quantitative changes in all of these cell lines. Classically, these disorders produce characteristic syndromes with well-defined clinical and laboratory features. Although individuals with leukemias often present with symptoms such as fatigue, fevers, or bleeding, ocular manifestations are common and can occur in up to 90% of cases; therefore, patients may present initially to their ophthalmologist with ocular symptoms before the systemic disease is diagnosed (Kincaid and Green, Survey Ophthalmol 27: 211-232, 1983).