Aberrant Lacrimal Gland Associated with Other Congenital Abnormalities.

AN aberrant lacrimal gland is an unusual congenital and developmental abnormality. The clinical picture differs from that of an ectopic lacrimal gland, because in the aberrant forms, the main lacrimal gland is in its place and the other gland is additional. In ectopia, the original lacrimal gland is considered to have luxated, and this is not as rare as the appearance of aberrant tissue (Duke-Elder, 1952; Gemolotto, 1956; Mann, 1957; Miani, 1957). The first case was published by Schirmer (1891), and those of Duclos (1921) and Drak (1925) much later (Fran9ois and Rabaey, 1951); van Heuven (1928) reported a further case and Eross (1940) yet another. When the sixth case was reported by Dame (1946), he suggested that this was the first to be published. Fran9ois and Rabaey (1951) reported a case of their own. Bunce (1952) reported a case of aberrant lacrimal tissue in the iris (Mettier, 1958). Christensen and Anderson (1952) reported a case in which both the cornea and uvea were affected. Boase(1954) and Paez Allende(1945) reported two separate cases. Hughes and Ballen (1956) described a case of aberrant lacrimal gland in the bulbar conjunctiva. Nover (1957) reported four cases of limbal aberrant glands, and Sommer (1958) and Mettier (1958) described two similar cases. Thus the published cases of aberrant lacrimal gland in the bulbar conjunctiva amount to sixteen, or including the very rare intra-ocular forms, to eighteen. The rarity of the condition has led to the report of the following case observed in the Clinic of Ophthalmology, University of Ankara; this patient showed certain congenital defects which were not noted in any of the previous reports.