An unusual case of elastofibroma oculi

Purpose. We examined the excisional biopsies of bilateral, elevated, superficial, fluffy white, vascularized lesions from the nasal limbuses from a 22 year old female college student from the Southwestern United States who had extensive sun and wind exposure as a swimmer. Methods. Specimens were processed for light microscopy and electron microscopy. Results. No adipose tissue or lipid deposits were noted on frozen sections. Light microscopy revealed an unencapsulated fibrovascular pannus with numerous fibrocytes, moderate chronic inflammation and abundant linear and wavy elastinophilic profiles. Electron microscopy disclosed the wavy structures to be distinctly immature elastic fibers arranged in globules and bundles within a thick collagenous matrix. A few areas of elastotic degeneration were present. Conclusions. Pathologic findings are consistent with an elastofibroma oculi described once previously in the literature. Excess elastogenesis and collagenogenesis in elastofibromas are presumed to be produced by activated fibrocytes secondary to mechanical trauma or in our case, perhaps, from extensive ultraviolet radiation and wind exposure and may have similarities to the pathogenesis of pterygia and pinguecula.