Lymphoid lesions of the conjunctiva: relation of histopathology to clinical outcome.

A retrospective clinicopathologic study of 40 patients with lymphoid lesions of the conjunctiva demonstrated the validity of current histologic criteria in predicting clinical outcome. Overall histologic architecture as well as cytologic detail must be used to differentiate benign reactive lymphoid hyperplasia from lymphoma. Lesions verified clinically as being malignant had obvious malignant cytologic features. Clinical signs of surface follicularity, multifocality, and minimal elevation suggest benignancy. All the benign lesions, on histopathologic examination, were either follicular in architecture or composed of mature lymphocytes, and were generally restricted to the substantia propria. Bilaterality and clinical recurrence do not necessarily imply a malignant disease.