title: Cystic benign melanosis of the conjunctiva.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report the clinical and histologic features of cystic benign melanosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  This case series reports on the clinical and histopathologic features of 3 patients with enlarging, cystic, brown, pigmented, conjunctival lesions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Slit-lamp examination showed cystic melanotic lesions of bulbar conjunctiva. Histopathologic examination of the biopsy specimens showed epithelial lined cysts in the substantia propria, goblet cells, and secondary pigmentation of basilar keratinocytes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cystic benign melanosis, a unique conjunctival lesion, should be differentiated from cystic nevus and primary acquired melanosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
authors.forename: Philip W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Laird
authors.forename: Maria A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Woodward
authors.forename: John G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: W Barry
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hans E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Grossniklaus
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000208:ethnology; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D003229:Conjunctival Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000601:surgery; D003560:Cysts / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000601:surgery; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000208:ethnology; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008548:Melanosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000601:surgery; D055815:Young Adult