THE ROLE OF ULTRASOUND BIOMICROSCOPY IN THE COMPREHENSIVE DIAGNOSIS OF PATHOLOGIES IN THE ANTERIOR SEGMENT OF THE VISUAL ORGAN

Diseases of the anterior segment of the eyeball comprise a broad group of pathological conditions affecting the cornea, anterior chamber, iris, ciliary body, crystalline lens, its suspensory apparatus, and the anterior chamber angle. Although conventional examination methods such as slit-lamp biomicroscopy, gonioscopy, and tonometry remain highly informative, they often do not provide a complete assessment of deeply located and retroiridal structures in certain clinical situations. Ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) is a modern imaging technique that enables detailed evaluation of the topographic and anatomical relationships between the cornea, anterior chamber, iris, ciliary body, crystalline lens, and its suspensory apparatus. UBM is particularly valuable in the diagnosis of glaucoma, abnormalities of the iridociliary complex, lens subluxation, post-traumatic changes, tumors of the iris and ciliary body, ocular hypotony, and postoperative conditions. The integration of UBM with slit-lamp biomicroscopy, gonioscopy, optical coherence tomography, and other instrumental techniques improves diagnostic reliability, facilitates the detection of hidden structural abnormalities, and enables accurate determination of the anatomical nature of the pathological process. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of ultrasound biomicroscopy in the comprehensive examination of patients with anterior segment disorders and to assess its clinical significance in developing diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.