Pattern of Ophthalmic Lesions in a Tertiary Health Institution in South-South, Nigeria

Objective: Ophthalmic tumors are tumors that occur in the eyes and other related structures. These lesions involve a wide range of pathologic conditions ranging from benign to malignant lesions and are common in Africa. Although there have been a number of published reviews on this subject, none was carried out in this environment. This study seeks to determine the pattern, prevalence, and types of ophthalmic tumors reported in Calabar, southern Nigeria. Methods: Patient’s hospital records were retrieved from the Department of Pathology, University of Calabar teaching hospital within the period of 2008 to 2016 and analyzed to obtain required information. Results: A total of 70 ophthalmic tumors were diagnosed during the study period of which 50.0% were malignant. Males were slightly more affected than females (ratio 1.3:1) accounting for about 55.7%. The top three ophthalmic malignant tumors were squamous cell carcinoma, retinoblastoma, and embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma contributing 21.4%, 17.1%, and 5.7%, respectively, of all eye tumors. Dermoid cyst (8.5%) was the most common benign ophthalmic tumor reported. In all, three cancer incidence peaks were observed at 0 to 10 (42.9%), 21 to 40 (43.2%), and 41 to 50 (14.3%) age groups. Retinoblastoma was the most common cancer in children and squamous cell carcinoma was commoner among adults. Conclusion: The prevalence of malignant and benign eye tumors was the same in this review. A delay in diagnosis was a characteristic feature. Early presentation to eye-care facilities for appropriate and early intervention is highly recommended to prevent potential loss of eyesight and even death.