Melanoma lytic Glaucoma

Abstract

A PATIENT presented clinically with unilateral acute glaucoma and malignant melanoma of the ciliary body of the left eye. The glaucoma seemed to be caused by mechanical blockage of the anterior chamber angle with melanin-laden macrophages. The mechanism of the glaucoma was quite similar to that in phacolytic and hemolytic glaucoma; hence the name "melanomalytic glaucoma" was coined. Report of a Case A 43-year-old white woman came to the emergency ward of the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia complaining of blurred vision and pain in her left eye. She had noted intermittent blurred vision in the left eye for the previous month, but pain did not develop until the day before admission. Other than having had a nonmalignant breast lump removed the previous year, she had been in good health. Corrected visual acuity was 20/20 OD and 20/25 OS. A ciliary flush was seen OS. She had