Hereditary benign intraepithelial dyskeratosis (HBID) is a rare inherited disease characterized by elevated plaques on the ocular and oral mucous membranes. The bulbar conjunctiva is involved, especially in the nasal and temporal perilimbal region. Dilated superficial vessels in association with the conjunctival plaques give the eye an overall red appearance, which accounts for the disease's nickname of 'red eye.' Morphologically, the lesions consist of a dyskeratotic hyperplastic epithelium. The oral lesions, which are typically asymptomatic and may go unrecognized, usually appear as thick, soft, white papules and plaques of various sizes, involving any part of the oral cavity. The ocular manifestations in this condition vary in severity from asymptomatic plaques on the bulbar conjunctiva to complete involvement of the cornea with severe vision loss. Patients commonly complain of symptoms of irritation, such as erythema, itching, excessive lacrimation, and photophobia. Periods of acute intensification of symptoms are common, especially in the spring. The lesions may become apparent in early infancy and may date from birth. The plaques persist throughout life and sometimes progress, but may wax and wane (summary by Witkop et al., 1960; Reed et al., 1979; and Baroni et al., 2009). [from
OMIM]