title: [Clinical observation of lymphangiectasis in conjunctivochalasis cases].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the relationship between the occurrence and development of conjunctivochalasis and bulbar conjunctival lymphangiectasia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case control study. One hundred cases with conjunctivochalasis treated from January to March 2012 were selected to study, and 100 cases with no conjunctivochalasis as the control group at the same time. To observe bulbar conjunctiva lymphatic duct dilatation using slit lamp microscope, analysis bulbar conjunctiva and fascia images by OCT scanning, and ablate lymphatic of conjunctival tissue for pathologic examine.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-nine eyes of the bulbar conjunctiva lymphangiectasia associated with 100 cases (183 eyes) conjunctivochalasis patients, accounting for 15.84%; 8 eyes of the ball conjunctival lymphatic dilation in control group of 100 cases ( 200 eyes), accounting for 4.00%. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (χ(2) = 15.36, P < 0.001). OCT scanning showed that lymphangiectasia of the conjunctiva is at the subcutaneous mainly, some in the conjunctival lamina propria. They are border-clear, full-filled fluid, single-lumen or multi lumens, not involving the fascia. The histopathological examination showed that the lamina propria of the bulbar conjunctiva mildly chronic inflammatory changes accompanied by a large number of lymphangiectasia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bulbar conjunctival lymphangiectasia may be one of the reasons for the conjunctivochalasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Putuo Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Medicine, Shanghai 200062, China (Email: zhangxingru928@hotmail.com).
authors.forename: Xing-ru
authors.initials: XR
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Ye-xiang
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Sheng
authors.forename: Huan-ming
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Zhu-mei
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Zhi-xuan
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Qing-song
authors.initials: QS
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Min-hong
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Xiang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003229:Conjunctival Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008200:Lymphangiectasis / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged