The capacity of cynomolgus and rhesus monkey conjunctiva, anterior uvea and eyelids to synthesize cyclo-oxygenase and lipoxygenase products from arachidonic acid was assessed. Both conjunctiva and eyelid tissues of cynomolgus and rhesus monkeys synthesized detectable amounts of cyclo-oxygenase and lipoxygenase products, indicating the presence of cyclo-oxygenase and 5-and 12-lipoxygenase activities in these tissues. In comparison, cynomolgus anterior uvea synthesized a considerably lesser amount of cyclo-oxygenase products. The cyclo-oxygenase activity was considerably greater than the lipoxygenase activity in cynomolgus and rhesus conjunctiva and eyelids.