Ocular tumours and problems in management: a Ghanaian experience.

Fifty eight cases of ocular tumours and forty cases of Burkitt's lymphoma with ocular involvement from the Eye and Burkitt's units of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital were reviewed. The tumours formed 0.1% of all the new cases seen at the Eye Clinic. Two thirds of tumours that presented at the Eye Clinic occurred in children below the age of 12 years. The three most commonly occurring tumours were retinoblastomas (50%), dermoid cysts (15.5%) and assorted conjunctival tumours (10.3%). The only secondary tumour encountered was orbital squamous cell carcinoma with the primary site in the maxillary antrum. Misconceptions and socioeconomic problems contributed immensely to late diagnosis, difficulties with management, and poor prognosis for both vision and life. Ocular involvement occurred in 40(16%) out of 248 cases of Burkitt's lymphoma from the Burkitt's Unit.