Purpose To determine the risk factors associated with progression to blindness from primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) in an African-American population. Methods This study examined 2119 patients enrolled in the Primary Open-Angle African-American Glaucoma Genetics (POAAGG) study. A total of 59 eyes were identified as legally blind as a result of POAG (cases) and were age-and sex-matched to 59 non-blind eyes with glaucoma (controls). Chart reviews were performed to record known and suspected risk factors. Results Cases were diagnosed with POAG at an earlier age than controls (p = 0.005). Of the 59 eyes of cases, 16 eyes (27.1%) presented with blindness at diagnosis. Cases had worse visual acuity (VA) at diagnosis (p < 0.0001), with VA worse than 20/40 conferring a 27 times higher risk of progression to blindness (p = 0.0005). Blind eyes also demonstrated more visual field defects (p = 0.01), higher pretreatment intraocular pressure (IOP; p < 0.0001), and higher cup-to-disc ratio (p = 0.006) at diagnosis. IOP was less controlled in cases, and those with IOP ≥21 mmHg at more than 20% of follow-up visits were 73 times more likely to become blind (p < 0.0001). Cases missed a greater number of appointments per year (p = 0.003) and had non-adherence issues noted in their charts more often than controls (p = 0.03). However, other compliance data did not significantly differ between groups. Conclusion Access to care, initial VA worse than 20/40, and poor control of IOP were the major risk factors associated with blindness from POAG. Future studies should examine earlier, more effective approaches to glaucoma screening as well as the role of genetics in these significantly younger patients who progress to blindness.

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Objective There is no general consensus regarding the optimal follow-up strategy for patients with melanoma. We sought to determine the utility and cost effectiveness of radiologic restaging of patients with stage IIB-IIIC melanoma at the 3-year follow-up time point. Methods A retrospective review of 210 patients diagnosed with stage IIB–IIIC melanoma seen in the Cutaneous Oncology Program at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) between January, 2001 and July, 2006 was conducted. 52 patients were asymptomatic and continuously disease free and underwent re-staging head CT/MRI and torso CT scans three years after completion of local-regional therapy or initiation of adjuvant treatment. True positive, false positive and normal scans were identified and the cost per diagnosis calculated. Results Fifty-five percent of patients followed at BIDMC recurred; 88% before 3 years (median time to recurrence 12 months, 95% CI: 10–16 months). The majority (69%) recurred with disease symptoms. Twenty five head CT scans, 27 head MRIs, and 52 torso CTs were performed. One false positive head CT and 5 abnormal torso CT scans (3 false positive, 2 true positive) were identified. The total cost per diagnosis was $312,990. Conclusions Extensive 3-year re-staging imaging appears to be of limited value for symptomatic and continuously disease free patients with stage IIB–IIIC melanoma. Furthermore, given the low risk of recurrence beyond 3 years, it is likely that subsequent routine imaging would have similarly low utility.

PurposeWe describe a rare case of a complex choristoma appearing as a salmon-patch lesion in the nasal conjunctiva. While benign, complex choristomas are grossly indistinguishable from malignant lesions, and an excisional biopsy is warranted to confirm the diagnosis.ObservationsA 31-year-old man presented with an elevated glistening pink mass on the conjunctiva. An excisional biopsy with a “no-touch” technique was performed, followed by placement of an amniotic membrane graft without postoperative complications. No subsequent medical treatment was pursued after the biopsy and histopathologic evaluation. Histopathology confirmed a diagnosis of a complex choristoma with sections consisting of fibroadipose tissue with cartilage, smooth muscle, and nerves. Histopathology was negative for malignant cells without morphologic evidence of a lymphoma.Conclusions and ImportanceConjunctival tumors are difficult to distinguish clinically, and a differential diagnosis often includes the possibility of a malignancy. Histopathologic diagnosis may be required to distinguish between various entities. In our case, a salmon-patch conjunctival tumor was biopsied and confirmed to be a benign complex choristoma.