Evaluating the growth of eyelid lesions: comparison of clinical evaluation and a software-based model

Purpose: To evaluate the accuracy of clinicians in evaluating the growth of eyelid lesions and to compare the measurements of experienced ophthalmologists to a novel computerized measurement method. Design: Prospective, single center, observational study. Methods: Six experienced ophthalmologists were asked to measure 3 simulated eyelid lesions using a slit lamp. These lesions were then enlarged, and the same examiners were asked to measure the enlarged lesions without prompting that the lesions had changed. Slit lamp photography of the original lesions and enlarged lesions were analyzed using freely available software from the National Institutes of Health. The results of clinician measurements were compared to the software-generated data. Results: Clinician data regarding the growth of the lesions were as follows: −40.9 to +76.8% for lesion 1, +29.3 to +134.4% for lesion 2, and +148.5 to +1169.2% for lesion 3. Software-based measurements were as follows: +53.6, +100.7, and +182.2% for lesions 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Conclusions: Monitoring growth of eyelid lesions in clinical practice can be challenging. We propose that using computerized software to analyze surface area of concerning eyelid lesions may provide a significant advantage over current clinical practices.