Pattern of conjunctival masses seen at Guinness Eye Centre Luth Idi-Araba.

BACKGROUND: Conjunctival masses are growth on the surface of the outer eye; which may represent benign or malignant transformations. OBJECTIVE: To determine the pattern of presentation of conjunctival masses at the Guinness Eye Centre (GEC), Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) Idi-Araba over a 13 year period (Jan 1995-Dec 2007). METHOD: A retrospective review of the clinical notes of all patients that presented to GEC with conjunctival masses during the study period was carried out. The bio-data, clinical features, stage, laterality and associated features of the masses were noted. The diagnosis, treatment and complications of treatment were also recorded. RESULTS: Case notes of 612 eyes of 393 patients were included in the study. There were 219 (55.7%) males, 174 (44.3%) females with ages ranging from 4-85 years with a male to female ratio of 1.26: 1. Three hundred and eighty-eight patients (98.7%) presented as elective cases to the outpatient department while 5 (1.3%) presented as emergencies on account of associated ocular inflammation. There were 220 (56%) bilateral masses while 44% were uniocular. Pterygium was the leading conjunctival mass affecting 548 eyes (89.5%) of 329 patients. Pingueculae occurred in 53 eyes (8.7%), conjunctival cysts in 5 (0.8%) eyes, neoplastic growths in 3 (0.5%) eyes, conjunctival granulomas in 2 (0.3%) eyes and limbal teratoma in 1 (0.2%) eye. Most of these patients defaulted from surgery as only 141 eyes (23%) of 121 patients had surgery. Post-operative complications occurred in 33 eyes (5.4%) of 30 patients. The commonest postoperative complication was pterygium recurrence which occurred in 18 eyes of 15 patients. CONCLUSION: Pterygium was the commonest conjunctival mass and preventive strategies need to be advocated. Prevention of recurrence remains a challenge in the management of pterygium as recurrence after surgical excision occurred in 13.2% of eyes. Our study however did not confirm outdoor occupations as a risk factor for pterygium.

Aetiology of vitreous haemorrhage in Guinness Eye Centre, Lagos University Teaching Hospital over a two year period (June 2007-May 2009).

BACKGROUND: The Vitreous Humour is the transparent biological gel which fills the posterior 5/6th of the eyeball. Extravasations of blood into this delicate tissue may cause visual loss. OBJECTIVE: The study was to determine the causes and pattern of vitreous haemorrhage in Guinness eye centre, Lagos University Teaching Hospital. METHODS: Retrospective consecutive case series of all patients with Vitreous haemorrhage over a 2 year period (June 2007 - May 2009) RESULTS: A total of 5137 new patient were seen at Guinness eye centre during the study period. 13 of them had vitreous heamorrhage giving an incidence of 0.25%. 12 of the patients were males. The mean age was 41 year. The age range was from 14years to 69 years. Majority of the patients (69%) presented within 4 weeks of drop in vision. Vitreous heamorrhage was caused by trauma in 46% of the patients and proliferative sickle cell retinopathy in 30% of the patients. All the patients with vitreous haemorrhage due to proliferative sickle cell retinopathy had the Hb genotype SC. CONCLUSION: Trauma and proliferative sickle cell retinopathy were found to be important causes of vitreous heamorrhage in this case series.