Anterior segment dysgeneses (ASGD or ASMD) are a heterogeneous group of developmental disorders affecting the anterior segment of the eye, including the cornea, iris, lens, trabecular meshwork, and Schlemm canal. The clinical features of ASGD include iris hypoplasia, an enlarged or reduced corneal diameter, corneal vascularization and opacity, posterior embryotoxon, corectopia, polycoria, an abnormal iridocorneal angle, ectopia lentis, and anterior synechiae between the iris and posterior corneal surface (summary by Cheong et al., 2016).
Anterior segment dysgenesis is sometimes divided into subtypes including aniridia (see 106210), Axenfeld and Rieger anomalies, iridogoniodysgenesis, Peters anomaly, and posterior embryotoxon (Gould and John, 2002).
Some patients with ASGD1 have been reported with the Peters anomaly subtype.
In its simplest form, Peters anomaly involves a central corneal opacity, but it may also involve adherent iris strands. Some patients have keratolenticular content or cataract. The underlying defects in this form of congenital corneal opacity reside in the posterior stroma, Descemet membrane, and corneal endothelium. The disorder results from abnormal migration or function of neural crest cells and may include abnormalities of other anterior segment structures, such as the lens and iris (summary by Withers et al., 1999). [from OMIM]
