Alopecia areata

General: Unknown etiology; increased incidence of autoimmune disease, Addison disease, diabetes mellitus, and vitiligo; initially occurs episodically; most commonly in patients between the ages of 5 and 40 years; most cases repopulate with normal hair in 6 to 12 months without any specific treatment.

Ocular: Loss of eyelashes and eyebrows and cataract.

Clinical: Circumscribed patches of hair loss on scalp and all body hair areas; fingernail changes.

Fraunfelder FT, Roy FH. Current Ocular Therapy, 5th ed. Philadelphia: WB Saunders, 2000.

Harley RD, ed. Pediatric Ophthalmology, 4th ed. Philadelphia: WB Saunders, 1998.

Rubin P. Disorders of the eyelashes and eyebrows. In: Albert DM, Jakobiec FA, eds. Principles and Practice of Ophthalmology, vol. II. Philadelphia: WB Saunders, 1994:1853.