Background: Dermoscopy is a non-invasive technique used widely to diagnose skin and mucosa lesions. Reports about its utility in ocular surface lesion diagnoses are scarce.
Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate the potential utility of dermoscopy in the evaluation of ocular surface lesions.
Patients and methods: A prospective, non-randomized and interventional study that included 20 eyes with ocular surface lesions. A complete ophthalmic examination was performed to all patients, followed by dermoscopic images of the lesions. Surgical excision and histopathologic examination were performed for those lesions. An experienced blinded dermatologist studied the dermoscopic images for specific patterns, colors, and types of vessels. The dermatologic findings were correlated to the established diagnosis confirmed with histopathology.
Results: The dominant dermoscopic feature of ocular surface squamous neoplasia (OSSN) was the presence of arborizing vessels in 8 (70 %), linear in 54 %, serpentin in 4 (36%) and dots in 36%. The pattern was structureless in 9 (81 %) reticular in 1 (9 %) and homogenous in 1 (9 %). The predominant colors were white in 9 (81%), grey in 7 (63%), and pink in 5 (45 %). The dermoscopic features of conjunctival naevi were light-brown pigmented homogenous and reticular pattern in 6 lesions (100 %).
Conclusion: Dermoscopy is a practical and noninvasive technique for examining ocular surface lesions, giving strong clues for diagnosis and differentiation between benign and malignant lesions.