Tumours of the eye and orbit in Ibadan

Four hundred and forty ocular and orbital tumours seen in Ibadan over 11-year-period (1980-1990) are reviewed. Three quarters of the 252 patients who had enucleation had malignant neoplasms, of which 55% were retinoblastomas. The mean age of patients with retinoblastomas (3.2 years) was less than that of patients with carcinoma and malignant melanomas (47 years). Malignant melanomas were rare neoplasms in Ibadan. The commonest orbital lymphoma was Burkitt's lymphoma. Only 24% of the enucleated eyes had inflammatory conditions, of which 38% gave a positive history of trauma. Inflammatory lesions were the commonest benign ocular diseases accounting for 33% of these latter cases. Postmeasles keratitis was a significant associated finding in these patients.