Melanocytoma of the optic disc.

The common perception that melanocytomas of the optic disc do not affect visual function is one that must be challenged. We report two cases of melanocytoma of the optic disc that show that visual function can be significantly affected. The benign nature of optic disc melanocytomas in contrast to the urgency needed in optic nerve malignant melanomas makes the differential diagnosis even more critical. In addition, recent reports have documented malignant transformation of melanocytomas. Therefore, close observation and proper diagnostic work-up of any suspicious optic nerve head tumor is essential.

Increased occurrence of exfoliation in the male, Spanish American population of New Mexico.

Exfoliation syndrome was found to occur much more frequently in the male Spanish American population of New Mexico. This was based on a Veterans Administration Medical Center study in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The prevalence of exfoliation in the Spanish Americans was estimated to be from 3-6 percent and this is consistent with many other such studies performed in the United States and other countries. The Spanish American population is 5.8 times more likely to develop exfoliation than the non-Spanish American population of New Mexico. Exfoliation was found on such eye structures as the lens, iris, ciliary processes, posterior capsule, vitreous face, posterior corneal surface, and arterial chamber angle. Glaucoma capsulare was also studied and it was found that there was not a significant difference between the Spanish American and the non-Spanish American population for developing the condition. However, there was a strong association of glaucoma with the presence of exfoliation in both groups. Based on our results, patients with exfoliation are 22 times more likely to develop glaucoma than are their age-matched controls. Also, 40 percent of the exfoliation patients had glaucoma compared with only 5 percent of the age-matched controls (p less than .001). The patients with glaucoma capsulare were found to have a more medically resistant type of glaucoma, which was consistent with other reports of this condition. There are two theories we propose for the existence of exfoliation in the Spanish American population of New Mexico. The first is a geographic climatic theory that relates exfoliation to greater solar radiation levels due to a high overall altitude and sunny weather in New Mexico.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Conjunctival hemorrhagic lymphangiectasis.

Conjunctival hemorrhagic lymphangiectasis is a benign condition resulting from an abnormal communication between conjunctival lymphatics and conjunctival blood vessels. In this paper, two cases of conjunctival hemorrhagic lymphangiectasis are presented and the possible mechanisms giving rise to this entity are discussed. To aid in clinical differential diagnosis, a short discussion of conjunctival lymphangioma is also presented.

Central retinal artery occlusion with an irido-embolus following carotid endarterectomy.

Endarterectomy is often the treatment of choice in carotid artery disease displaying significant stenosis of the internal carotid artery. This procedure is not without its complications, the most visually devastating being central retinal artery occlusion and secondary neovascularization. Such a case is presented here along with the interesting finding of a cholesterol irido-embolus, apparently the first citation in the ophthalmic literature to date.

Proliferative vitreoretinopathy.

Proliferative vitreoretinopathy is the recently adopted term for a complicating condition which occasionally follows retinal detachment. The major processes involved are cellular proliferation and membrane formation. These developments greatly reduce the surgical success rate. A case of proliferative vitreoretinopathy is presented here; we briefly review the mechanism of development of this condition, as well as current treatment concepts.