Nevus of Ota: clinical-ophthalmological findings

Abstract

Objective:To analyze the clinical and ophthalmological findings of patients with nevus of Ota. Methods: Retrospective analysis of patients' charts with nevus of Ota. We registered the demographic data, location of the nevus and date of appearance, family history of similar spots, biomicroscopic, gonioscopic, tonometric, ophthalmoscopic and perimetric findings. Results: We included 14 patients, six (43.0%) men and eight (57.0%) women, with a mean age of 21.7±17.5 years. Ten (71%) were mulatto, three (21.4%) white and one (7.1%) black. Twelve (85.7%) patients presented the spots at birth and two in puberty. Nine patients presented conjunctival and episcleral pigmentation in the right eye and five in the left eye. According to Tanino's classification, five (35.7%) nevi were class 1, eight (57.1%) class 2 and one (7.1%) class 3. Heterochromia iridis was found in eight (57.1%) patients. Anisocoria was present in three (21.4%) patients. Five (35.7%) patients presented a suspected glaucomatous cup disc ratio (≥0.7); six (42.9%) presented a cup disc ratio ≤ 0.5 and three (21.4%), no cup disc. We found two curious and remarkable findings: a nevus of Ota on the palate of one patient and other on the optic disc associated with a pigmentary mottling of the fundus in another patient. The pigmentary mottling of the fundus was also seen in four more eyes. Conclusions: The nevus of Ota was frequently present at birth, in mulattos, and classified as Tanino's class 1 and 2. Heterochromia iridis was a common finding. Anisocoria was present in a small percentage of eyes. No patient developed glaucoma or malignancy.

Unilateral Open-Angle Glaucoma Associated with the Ipsilateral Nevus of Ota

“…The occurrence of glaucoma in patients with the nevus of Ota may be related to the obstruction of aqueous outflow by accumulated melanocytes, but some authors suggest that their studies have not clearly shown that the Ota's nevus alone can cause the secondary glaucoma [8]. In its report, Cronemberger et al indicate that there was no glaucoma in the eight eyes in which the gonioscopy revealed an external wall of the intensively pigmented angle [9]. Intensive pigmentation of the anterior chamber angle leads to the increase in IOP and glaucoma five years after the appearance of the nevus of Ota.…”

Nevus of Ota (oculodermal melanocytosis) in a dog

“…Nevus of Ota or oculodermal melanocytosis is a rare disorder described in humans as an increase in pigmentation of the sclera and ipsilateral skin along the distribution of the ophthalmic and maxillary branches of the trigeminal nerve (the first and second divisions of the fifth cranial nerve respectively) . Clinically, this results in a characteristic distribution of hyperpigmentation in the eye and/or facial skin and eyelids . It is a nonhereditary pigmentary disorder that occurs unilaterally in 90–95% of cases .…”

“…Clinically, this results in a characteristic distribution of hyperpigmentation in the eye and/or facial skin and eyelids . It is a nonhereditary pigmentary disorder that occurs unilaterally in 90–95% of cases . This syndrome is five times more frequent in women, and it is particularly common in women of Asian ethnicity .…”

“…The characteristic clinical presentation of this nevus results from a neural crest disorder consisting of an aberrant migration of the melanoblastic cells of the primitive neural tube to the epidermis during early organogenesis . The embryonic melanocytes enter the ophthalmic and maxillary branches of the trigeminal nerve resulting in the cutaneous hyperpigmentation of the regions innervated by these branches .…”

“…The characteristic clinical presentation of this nevus results from a neural crest disorder consisting of an aberrant migration of the melanoblastic cells of the primitive neural tube to the epidermis during early organogenesis . The embryonic melanocytes enter the ophthalmic and maxillary branches of the trigeminal nerve resulting in the cutaneous hyperpigmentation of the regions innervated by these branches . It has been proposed that oculodermal melanocytosis results from an alteration of the embryonic environment, in particular the glycosaminoglycan concentration that favors the differentiation of neural crest cells into a melanocytic phenotype .…”