Corneal and limbal dermoids are uncommon choristomatous corneal tumors. They clinically present as round or oval, whitish or yellowish cones protruding on the anterior surface of the eyeball. They are composed of ectodermal (keratinized epithelium, hairs, sebaceous and sudoriferous glands, nerves, smooth muscles and, less frequently, teeth) and mesodermal elements (fibrous tissue, fat, blood vessels and cartilage) combined in different proportion. If fat dominates in histology of the tumor, it is called a lipodermoid. A case of a two-year old boy with a large corneal dermoid on the right eye is presented. Dermoid covered almost the whole cornea and was associated with adherence of the atrophic iris to the posterior corneal surface and partial congenital cataract. Surgical therapy included excision of dermoid together with the superficial lamellae of the corneal stroma and penetrating keratoplasty. Satisfactory tectonic and esthetic outcome was achieved and has been maintained for four postoperative years now.

Chemical injuries are relatively common problem in the Emergency Ophthalmology. Constant education and usage of adequate protective equipment should be advised in order to prevent serious complications.

Corneal graft survival in rabbits was significantly prolonged by topical treatment of the recipient eye with cyclophosphamide (0.1% in sterile isotonic NaCl) and methotrexate (0.1% in arachis oil) applied four times daily for 4 weeks. A control group of animals was treated with dexamethasone in the same way. The mean graft survival time was 52 +/- 18.5 days in the group treated with dexamethasone and 80 +/- 18.2 and 73 +/- 23.5, respectively, in the groups treated with cyclophosphamide and methotrexate. Cyclophosphamide and methotrexate applied topically produced no systemic side effects, and only one mild and transient local side effect in the form of hyperemia of the bulbar and palpebral conjunctiva. These two immunosuppressive drugs were more effective than the corticosteroid currently in clinical use, i.e., dexamethasone.

Azathioprine and cytarabine applied topically as 0.1 % solution in the grafted rabbit eye significantly prolong corneal allograft survival time. Mean corneal graft survival time was 61 ± 27.76 days and 55 ± 26.79 days in the group treated with azathioprine and cytarabine, respectively, while mean corneal graft survival time in the control group of rabbits with no immunosuppressive therapy was 19 ± 4.47 days. After completion of the immunosuppressive treatment, the achieved azathioprine effect lasted longer than the cytarabine effect. Favourable azathioprine and cytarabine effects on corneal allograft survival in rabbits were obtained with no serious local and systemic side effects. Only moderate hyperemia of the palpebral and bulbar conjunctiva was recorded during the first days of treatment. No other side effects were observed.

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