[Epibulbar tumours (author's transl)].

After a classification in benign and malignant tumours and in pigmented and non-pigmented growth, attention is drawn to the fact that most of the tumours lie in the palpebral fissure and are benign. Leukoplakia is a clinical description but not a diagnosis. Both the benign and the malignant growths can be called Leukoplakia. The intra-epithelial epithelioma is often incorrectly diagnosed as Bowen's disease. This disease of the skin and the intraepithelial epithelioma of the limbus are histologically quite different, and therefore the term Bowen's disease is incorrect. Not all the various tumours occur with the same incidence, e. g. the squamous cell carcinoma occurs more often in some countries than in others. The malignant melanomas of the conjunctiva are not so malignant as in the caruncle or cornea. In the conjunctiva secundary melanomas can occur after penetration of an intraocular melanoma through the sclera; similary metastases can occur in the form of epibulbar tumours. In all cases the epibulbar tumour should be excised very carefully and a histological examination is necessary for the diagnosis.