[Nervus of ota (author's transl)].

A 27-year-old woman presented with a distinct gray-blue coloration of the left eye and the periorbital region. The right periorbital region also displayed minimal pigmentation. It was established that eye drops containing mercury had been administered for some years. Initially hydargyrosis was considered as an etiologic factor. Finally we arrived at the diagnosis of nevus of Ota on conjunction with a blue nevus on the forehead. The simultaneous occurrence of a nevus of Ota and the blue nevus suggest a common basic developmental disturbance. The nevus of Ota represents a benign dermal hyperpigmentation syndrome and has to be differentiated from melanosis bulbi.