Amyloidosis of the Eyelid and Conjunctiva

Abstract

Amyloidosis may be considered a group of disorders of diverse etiology and pathogenesis that have in common certain characteristic histopathologic features. Their essential unifying characteristic is the deposition in various tissues of a hyaline substance that can be distinguished from other types of hyalin by use of appropriate histopathologic technics. The exact nature of amyloid remains to be determined, however, and, in fact, there is reason for believing that amyloid deposits vary in composition sufficiently to form a spectrum from typical amyloid to nonspecific hyalin. The term "paramyloid" has been introduced to designate hyaline deposits that give atypical or inconsistent staining reactions for amyloid. Several recent publications^1-6 have reviewed the various concepts of the nature and pathogenesis of amyloidosis, but the clinicopathologic classification offered by Reimann and co-workers⁷ 30 years ago continues to enjoy general acceptance: