conjuctiva
conjuctiva
A number of conditions can affect the conjunctiva. Among the more common conjunctival problems are:
Conjunctivitis. Also called pink eye, this is inflammation of the conjunctiva. It can have several causes. Conjunctival pallor. This is an unhealthy pale appearance to the palpebral conjunctiva that can be a sign of anemia.
Injected conjunctiva. This is a red eye caused by dilation of blood vessels in the conjunctiva. It can have many causes. Conjunctival cyst. This is a thin-walled clear sac in the conjunctiva that contains clear fluid. It resembles a small, clear blister on your skin. A conjunctival cyst or sac can occur as a result of an eye infection, inflammation or other causes.
Conjunctival hemorrhage. This is bleeding from a small blood vessel on the front surface of the eye, over the sclera. Because the leaking blood spreads out under the conjunctiva, it causes the white of the eye to appear bright red. More accurately called a subconjunctival hemorrhage, this type of red eye is harmless and typically resolves on its own within a couple weeks.
Conjunctival lymphoma. This is a tumor of the front surface of the eye that usually appears as a salmon-pink, "fleshy" patch. Conjunctival lymphomas typically are hidden behind the eyelids and painless; therefore they may be present for quite some time before they are discovered — especially in people who don't have routine comprehensive eye exams. If you have a growth on your eye that resembles this description of a conjunctival lymphoma, immediately see an ophthalmologist who can evaluate it and perhaps perform a biopsy to determine the proper treatment.
Conjunctival hemangioma. This is a benign (noncancerous) tumor of tiny blood vessels that creates a red, blood-filled sac in the conjunctiva. Large conjunctival hemangiomas can be surgically removed if they cause irritation.
Conjunctival nevus. This is a common, benign growth in the bulbar conjunctiva. In fact, conjunctival nevi (plural of nevus) are the most common growth that occurs on the surface of the eye. A conjunctival nevus can range in color from yellow to dark brown and can darken or lighten with time. In most cases, no treatment is needed for a conjunctival nevus, but if a nevus is growing in size, it can be surgically removed.
Conjunctival melanoma. This is an elevated, dark or relatively clear cancerous growth in the bulbar conjunctiva. Conjunctival melanomas are uncommon but potentially lethal. The cancer cells from a conjunctival melanoma can infiltrate the eyeball and spread via the lymphatic system or bloodstream to the lungs, liver, brain and bones.
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Journal of optometry : open access