Subepidermal calcified nodules of the eyelid

Subepidermal calcified nodule uncommonly involves the eyelid, and the authors report their experience with 9 cases of this entity. Most lesions appeared as solitary, raised, tan, or white nodules on the upper eyelid or medial canthal skin of healthy, young patients. The diagnosis was not suspected in any of the patients. The most common preoperative diagnosis was a "cyst." Excisional biopsy was performed in all cases and was curative with the exception of one recurrence. Histopathologic evaluation showed basophilic deposits beneath acanthotic and papillomatous epidermis on hematoxylin and eosin-stained preparations. The deposits stained with von Kossa's stain for calcium and were surrounded by foreign body reaction. Ophthalmologists should be aware that subepidermal calcified nodule is a benign lesion that can occur in the eyelid skin.