Peculiar ophthalmic proliferations

Abstract

Six unusual cases diagnosed by various scientific methods are described to highlight the role of the histopathologist in clinical ophthalmology. The first case shows the importance of fast tissue diagnosis to prevent possible radical treatment in a limbal pseudotumour. The second presentation is of a small conjunctival mass with orbital involvement, immunohistochemically a B-cell lymphoma and occurring after a recent testicular tumour. The third patient presented with the rarely described nodular hypersensitivity conjunctivitis (Splendore-Hoeppli reaction) and it is suggested that these ophthalmologically observed asymptomatic lesions are apparently clinically transient so reports may be few because of infrequent biopsy. Pan-uveal melanocytic tumours concurrent with thoracic or abdominal carcinoma are reviewed. DNA flow cytometry could, perhaps, assess those ocular lesions for malignancy. The fourteenth case in the literature of lacrimal sac melanoma and possibly the first by tear seedling is illustrated. Lastly, a paediatric orbital fibrous histiocytoma is a cautionary anecdote with successful outcome. © 1989, College of Ophthalmologists. All right reserved.