title: Argon Laser Photoablation for Treating Benign Pigmented Conjunctival Nevi.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the outcomes of argon laser photoablation of benign conjunctival pigmented nevi with different clinical presentations.
  
  
  METHODS
  This interventional case series was conducted between July 2014 and January 2015. Patients presenting with benign conjunctival nevi were included. Data were collected on the clinical features at presentation, argon laser photoablation, and follow-up at 8 and 24 weeks. Postoperative photography allowed recording of the success of each case and the overall success rate. Complete removal of conjunctival pigments was considered an absolute success. Partial pigmentation requiring repeat laser treatment was considered a qualified success.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 14 eyes (four right eyes and ten left eyes) with benign pigmented conjunctival nevi. There were three males and eight females in the study sample. The median age was 36 (25% percentile: 26 years). Three patients had bilateral lesions. The nevi were located temporally in nine eyes, nasally in three eyes, and on the inferior bulbar conjunctiva in two eyes. The mean horizontal and vertical diameters of nevi were 5 ± 2 mm and 4 ± 2.7 mm, respectively. The mean follow-up period was 5 months. Following laser treatment, no eyes had subconjunctival hemorrhage, infection, scarring, neovascularization, recurrence, or corneal damage. The absolute success rate of laser ablation was 79%. Three eyes with elevated nevi had one to three sessions of laser ablation resulting in a qualified success rate of 100%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Argon laser ablation was a safe and effective treatment for the treatment of selective benign pigmented conjunctival nevi in Arab patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Specialised Medical Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Abdulrahman M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Alsharif
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Specialised Medical Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Saeed M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Al-Gehedan
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Specialised Medical Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Department of Ophthalmology, Imam University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Tariq
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Alasbali
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Specialised Medical Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Hisham S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Alkuraya
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Specialised Medical Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Nancy M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Lotfy
authors.affiliation: Department of Research, King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Rajiv
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Khandekar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D057908:Argon Plasma Coagulation / Q000379:methods*; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000473:pathology; D003230:Conjunctival Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D009508:Nevus, Pigmented / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Benign Ocular Tumor; Conjunctiva; Laser Photoablation; Pigmented Conjunctival Nevi