METHODS: A total of 127 patients with acute leukaemia (myeloid and lymphoid), of both genders, aged between 13 and 77 years, were examined by an ophthalmologist for retinal changes using direct/indirect ophthalmoscopy within 2 days of diagnosis before starting chemotherapy.
RESULTS: Retinal lesions were seen in 62 cases (49%), with intraretinal haemorrhages being the most common lesion (42%). A high white blood cell count was significantly associated with intraretinal haemorrhages (p = 0.04) and white-centred haemorrhages (p = 0.001), while a low platelet count was significantly associated with intraretinal haemorrhages (p = 0.03) in acute myeloid leukaemia patients.
CONCLUSIONS: A high white blood cell count may be considered as important as a low platelet count in the pathogenesis of leukaemic retinopathy.
OBJECTIVE: To report two cases of malignant melanoma in the eye, one in the conjunctiva and the other in the choroid.
CASES: The first case was in a 49-year-old lady who presented with a swelling on the inner side of left upper eyelid. The vision was 6/6. On everting the eyelid, multiple, pigmented, nodular swellings were noted on the tarsal conjunctiva. Excision biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of malignant melanoma of the conjunctiva. A pigmented nodular swelling occurred on the lower bulbar conjunctiva in the same eye one-and-a-half years after the first presentation. There were no secondary nodules in the body. Excision biopsy confirmed malignant melanoma of the conjunctiva. The second case was in a 72-year-old lady who presented with pain and bleeding in the right eye. There was no perception of light. The cornea was hazy and the details behind it could not be seen. There was micro perforation of the cornea with oozing of blood and secondary glaucoma. B-scan ultrasonography of the right eye revealed an intraocular tumour. The histopathology of the enucleated eyeball confirmed the diagnosis of malignant melanoma of the choroid.
CONCLUSION: In the case of conjunctival melanoma, the occurrence of tumour at multiple sites and absence of recurrence at the original site suggests the possibility of de novo origin of the tumour. Secondary glaucoma and bleeding may be the presenting features of melanoma in the choroid.
METHODS: Eighty-two children with acute leukaemia were examined for ocular lesions within two days of diagnosis before starting chemotherapy. The detailed ocular examination of both eyes was carried out by the ophthalmologist irrespective of the presence or absence of eye symptoms in all cases.
RESULTS: Only 3 out of 82 children presented with eye symptoms (3.6%). However, ocular changes were found in 14 children (17%); ten with lymphoblastic and four with myeloid leukaemia. The ocular lesions observed were proptosis, intraretinal haemorrhages, white centered haemorrhages, cotton wool spots, macular haemorrhage, subhyaloid haemorrhage, vitreous haemorrhage, papilloedema, cortical blindness, sixth nerve palsy, and exudative retinal detachment with choroidal infiltration.
CONCLUSION: In view of the high prevalence of asymptomatic ocular lesions in childhood acute leukaemia, routine ophthalmic examination should be included as a part of evaluation at the time of diagnosis.