Cutaneous malignant melanoma metastatic to the vitreous

E. L. Cole, Z. N. Zakov, D. M. Meisler, R. J. Tuthill and J. T. McMahon

A 38-year-old man previously had a cutaneous malignant melanoma excised from his right shoulder. He presented to our clinic with neovascular glaucoma, corneal edema, large pigmented keratic precipitates, anterior chamber reaction, and pigmented aggregates in the vitreous of his left eye. There were no other ocular findings. Subsequent enucleation was performed and the globe was studied histopathologically. Special stains and electron microscopy showed the presence of both macrophages and malignant melanin-producing cells within the vitreous. The diagnosis of cutaneous malignant melanoma metastatic to the vitreous was made based on these findings. This is a rarely reported clinical entity, for which a high index of suspicion should be maintained.