Conjunctival leproma which simulates benign neoplasm

Abstract

Leprosy is an infectious pathology caused by Mycobacterium leprae and this reaches the eyes through haematogenous spread, or via adjacent injuries. Among 21-24% of the patients with the disease might develop visual injuries, which are more frequent in multibacillary leprosy and 5% suffer blindness. The most frequent complications of this condition are corneal hypoesthesia (53%), cataracts (12.6%), corneal opacity (10.5%), keratic precipitates (4.62%), orbicularis oculi weakness (4.62%), lagophthalmos (4.20%), corneal nerve beading (1.68%), trichiasis (0.84%) and ectropion (0.42%), with few data on the incidence of ocular leproma in these studies. There are few reports in ocular injuries that present tumor, nevertheless cases of ocular leproma have been reported in different sites (corneal , scleral, and limbo scleral); provided below a case of ocular leproma is described, this case was diagnose in Colombia in the south American region.