Ablepharia
Historical document, translated for reference. It reflects medical knowledge of the 1920s–30s and is not medical advice.
Summary
Ablepharia is an extremely rare congenital deformity characterized by the absence of eyelids, usually coinciding with cryptophthalmos. The rudimentary eye is covered by skin continuous from the forehead to the cheek without any differentiation of the palpebral fissure, eyelashes, or conjunctival sac. This 1930s encyclopedia entry details the anatomical and pathological features of this condition.
Encyclopedia entry (1928–1936)
ABLEPHARIA (from the Greek a- negative particle, and blephoron - eyelid), absence of eyelids, an extremely rare malformation that usually coincides with cryptophthalmos (hidden eye). A small eye rudiment is covered by skin fused with it, representing a direct transition of the forehead skin into the cheek skin without any differentiation of the palpebral fissure and eyelashes. There is no conjunctival sac. The cornea is a continuous opaque connective tissue fused with the skin, so that pathologically and anatomically this could be called symblepharon totale - total fusion of the eyelid skin with the underdeveloped eye.
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Cite this page
“Ablepharia.” Soviet Medical Encyclopedia. English translation of Bolshaya Meditsinskaya Entsiklopediya, 1st ed. (Moscow, 1928–1936), ed. N. A. Semashko. https://sovietmedicalencyclopedia.pages.dev/article/ablepharia/