Eye care professionals should play a significant role in detecting the Marfan syndrome. An eye care professional who suspects the Marfan syndrome should urge the patient to see a medical geneticist and a cardiologist for a complete evaluation and a definitive diagnosis. The lens may be markedly off center or so subtly dislocated that an ophthalmologist might miss the dislocation without fully dilating the pupils. Dislocated lenses occur in several other conditions, most commonly after trauma, but their presence is a strong indication of the Marfan syndrome and warrants further evaluation. A slit lamp examination is necessary to identify the lens dislocation.
Cataracts often form in middle age of people with the disorder.
Retinal detachment is more common in people who have the Marfan syndrome. Glaucoma will also develop in about 35 percent of people with the Marfan syndrome during their life time, often at an earlier age than in the general population. Many of the ocular problems associated with the Marfan syndrome are induced by the lenticular and axial myopia. Meticulous retinoscopy is essential for adequate optical correction, and full correction is desirable. Cataracts are much more common in patients with the Marfan syndrome than in people who do not have the disorder, and often occur by the age of 40 or 50.