Conjunctival melanosis: review of the literature

Conjunctival melanoses are a common clinical finding of flat granular melanotic pigmentation of the conjunctival epithelium. Differential diagnosis of these lesions is difficult and there is much confusion in the literature regarding their classification. To update the readers' knowledge about conjunctival melanosis and its clinicopathologic classification. The author searched electronic databases for primary studies [MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL] and systematic reviews [PubMed] from the early 1960 when these lesions were described until the end of December 2012. Selection Criteria: English-language systematic reviews; randomized, controlled trials; and quasi-randomized, controlled trials for conjunctival melanosis. Data collection and analysis: Abstracts were screened and data were extracted and reviewed by the author. The conjunctival melanoses are a group of diseases characterized by flat granular melanin-pigmentation of conjunctival epithelium. Because differential diagnosis of these lesions is difficult, there is much confusion in the literature regarding their classification. Benign, melanosis should be divided based on clinical findings into complexion-associated melanosis, secondary melanosis, ephelis, and primary acquired melanosis without atypia. Primary acquired melanosis with atypia is more likely to evolve into a malignant melanoma.

prevalence of pterygium in Al-Khobar: a hospital-based study

To analyze the epidemiology of pterygium in a hospital-based population in Al-Khobar, which is located in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia. This was a retrospective, non-randomized, and consecutive case study. Out of 88,666 patients who were seen in the ophthalmology clinic between January 1995 through the end of December 2010, 116 patients were diagnosed with advanced pterygium. The medical records of these patients were evaluated. The overall prevalence of pterygium was found to be 0.074%. There was no significant difference by either gender, side, or by laterality [P > 0.05]. A significant increase was noticed in the prevalence of pterygium with increasing age and nasal location [P < 0.05]. The overall prevalence rate of pterygium in Al-Khobar is low when compared with results reported from other areas of the world