Ciliary body naevus

Abstract

Purpose: To describe clinical, ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM), and histopathologic characteristics of benign melanocytic tumors of the ciliary body.

Design: Consecutive case series.

Methods: Six patients with a pigmented ciliary body tumour underwent complete ophthalmic examination and UBM, with histopathologic examination carried out on three cases.

Results: Six patients presented with a pigmented iridociliary mass, with central displacement of iris root. UBM revealed a stromal mass arising in pars plicata and/or pars plana in all six with a cyst in three cases (intrinsic=1 and extrinsic=2). Iridocyclectomy was performed because of documented growth in three cases, and all three cases proved to be ciliary body spindle-cell naevus. The other three patients have remained stable.

Conclusions: On clinical basis and with available ancillary studies, ciliary body naevi cannot be reliably differentiated from ciliary body melanocytoma and ciliary body melanoma. Even with clinically documented growth, the lesions may prove to be ciliary body naevi.