Nonepibulbar tumors more often recur locally and are associated with a shorter survival independent of other risk factors. Tumor thickness is also an important predictor of regional and distant metastases, as well as survival. A prospective study is needed to compare the effect of excision with radiotherapy and excision with cryotherapy on the number of local recurrences, exenteration rate, and survival.

Please be advised that this information was generated on 2018-05-11 and may be subject to change.We have performed retina) fluorescein angiography and audiometry in 32 familial and 7 sporadic cases of facioscapulohumeral muscular dys trophy. A mild to moderate retinal vasculopathy, consisting of retinal teleangiectasis and microaneursyms, was present in 18 of 37 evaluable angiograms (49%); 5 patients had minimal changes and 14 angiograms (38%) were normal. High frequency hearing loss was found in 25 (64%) out of 39 patients. Retinal changes were absent in 5 of 18 families (6 cases examined), and after correction for age and sex, hearing function was normal in 5 of 19 families (7 cases examined). Age and severity of the myopathy did not have a clear relationship with the retinal vascu lopathy or the hearing loss. There were no differences between families in which the myopathy was linked to chromosome 4q35 and families in which linkage could not be proven, Minimal retinal vascular changes and high tone hearing loss can be observed occasionally in the normal population. Therefore, although retinal vasculopathy and hearing loss are part of the clinical picture of FSHD, these signs cannot be accepted as decisive criteria for FSHD in clinically equivocal cases.

To collaborate with multiple centers to identify representative epidemiological, clinical, and pathologic characteristics of melanoma of the iris. This international, multicenter, Internet-assisted study in ophthalmic oncology demonstrates the collaboration among eye cancer specialists to stage and describe the clinical and pathologic characteristics of biopsy-proven melanoma of the iris. Methods: A computer program was created to allow for Internet-assisted multicenter, privacy-protected, online data entry. Eight eye cancer centers in 6 countries performed retrospective chart reviews. Statistical analysis included patient and tumor characteristics, ocular and angle abnormalities, management, histopathology, and outcomes. Results: A total of 131 patients with iris melanoma (mean age, 64 years [range, 20-100 years]) were found to have blue-gray (62.2%), green-hazel (29.1%), or brown (8.7%) irides. Iris melanoma color was brown (65.6%), amelanotic (9.9%), and multicolored (6.9%). A mean of 2.5 clock hours of iris was visibly involved with melanoma, typically centered at the 6-o'clock meridian. Presentations included iritis, glaucoma, hyphema, and sector cataract. High-frequency ultrasonography revealed a largest mean tumor diameter of 4.9 mm, a mean maximum tumor thickness of 1.9 mm, angle blunting (52%), iris root disinsertion (9%), and posterior iris pigment epithelium displacement (9%). Using the American Joint Commission on Cancer-International Union Against Cancer classification, we identified 56% of tumors as T1, 34% of tumors as T2, 2% of tumors as T3, and 1% of tumors as T4. Histopathologic grades were G1-spindle (54%), G2-mixed (28%), G3-epithelioid (5%), and undetermined (13%) cell types. Primary treatment involved radiation (26%) and surgery (64%). Kaplan-Meier analysis found a 10.7% risk of metastatic melanoma at 5 years. Conclusions: Iris melanomas were most likely to be brown and found in the inferior quadrants of patients with light irides. Typically small and unifocal, melanomas are commonly associated with angle blunting and spindle cell histopathology. This multicenter, Internet-based, international study successfully pooled data and extracted information on biopsy-proven melanoma of the iris.

Aimns-The purpose of this study was to assess whether the preservative benzalkonium chloride (BAC 0.01%) present in timolol induced a decrease in basal tear turnover and a deterioration ofprecorneal tear film in patients with glaucoma and ocular hypertension using topical timolol. Methods In a previous study7 we demonstrated a 36% lower mean basal tear turnover in patients with glaucoma using timolol+BAC in comparison with that of healthy controls. The preservative BAC is suggested as a possible cause for this decrease in tear turnover. The present follow up study was initiated to verify this assumption.In this study the tear turnover and break up time (BUT) of the precorneal tear film of patients with open angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension were evaluated when using timolol+BAC and subsequently when using timolol-BAC. In this way we expected to find out if BAC could be held responsible for a decrease in tear production and for a deterioration of tear film stability in patients with glaucoma who use timolol+ BAC. The study was set up in such a way that the same patient was measured when using timolol+BAC as well as when using timolol-BAC in order to avoid the effect of interindividual spread in tear turnover values. Note that the fluorophotometric measurement of tear turnover with a computer fluorophotometer is a quantitative method for the determination of tear production7 and is, because of its objectivity and reproducibility, suitable for unbiased outcomes of the measurements. The precorneal tear film integrity determined by the tear film BUT and the subjective acceptability of timolol+BAC and timolol-BAC were also assessed. Material and methods PATIENTS

Local application of 5-Fluorouracil was practised on 5 patients. In 3 patients with multiple premalignant oculo-cutaneous lesions, two of whom had also premalignant epibulbar lesions, local 5% 5-Fu cream and/or 1% 5-Fu eyedrops were applied. In 2 other patients who had only premalignant lesions on the cornea and conjunctiva, 1% 5-Fu eyedrops were used only. In animal experiments 1% 5-Fu was not found to cause any damage to normal corneal and conjunctival epithelium. The frequency of the applications and the duration of the treatment were dependent on the location and extent of the lesions. Except for easily treatable lesions, caused by the separation of the tumour epithelium, no complications of local 5-Fu treatment were seen. The visual acuity improved in all 4 patients in whom the cornea was affected. In these premalignant conditions the diagnosis and assessment of the therapy were based on exfoliative cytology and biopsies.