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Surv Ophthalmol 2020 Jul - Aug;65(4):421-437. Epub 2020 Jan 7.

The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY, USA.

Intraocular leiomyoma is a benign smooth muscle tumor. First recognized before the era of immunohistochemistry, uveal leiomyomas have been described in case reports and small case series. We add 3 new cases, for a total of 80. Read More

Surv Ophthalmol 2017 May - Jun;62(3):366-370. Epub 2016 Nov 24.

Department of Ophthalmic Oncology, Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA. Electronic address:

Intraocular leiomyomas are uncommon and usually occur in the ciliary body. Primary leiomyoma of the iris is both rare and a difficult diagnosis to make, given melanocytic tumors are more common and may be amelanotic. The somewhat controversial diagnosis of iris leiomyoma requires further confirmation by immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. Read More

J Fr Ophtalmol 2015 Feb 13;38(2):e29-32. Epub 2015 Jan 13.

Service d'ophtalmologie, CHU d'Amiens, site Sud, avenue René-Laënnec, 80054 Salouel, Amiens, France.

Eye (Lond) 2013 May 22;27(5):669-72. Epub 2013 Mar 22.

Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, UK.

Background/aims: A prospective study identified three patients between 2004 and 2010 with mesectodermal leiomyoma. The study was conducted to analyse the presence or absence of sex steroid hormone receptors in mesectodermal leiomyomas.

Methods: The clinical features were collated. Read More

Acta Clin Croat 2012 Dec;51 Suppl 1:83-6

Department of Ultrasonography, Hospital Luis Sánchez Bulnes Asociación Para Evitar la Ceguera en México IAP, DF México.

A 41-year-old female complained of impaired vision on her left eye in the past year. Her visual acuity was 20/20 on the right eye and 20/50 on the left eye. In her left eye, there was an ill-defined, irregularly pigmented, orange lesion at 7 o'clock meridian behind the iris. Read More

Ophthalmology 2012 Dec 20;119(12):2507-13. Epub 2012 Aug 20.

Ocular Oncology Service, Wills Eye Institute, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.

Purpose: To describe the outcome of intraocular tumor resection by partial lamellar sclerouvectomy (PLSU) in the pediatric age group.

Design: Retrospective, interventional case series.

Participants: We included 37 patients who underwent PLSU for intraocular tumors under age 21 years. Read More

Arch Ophthalmol 2011 Dec;129(12):1635-7

J Cataract Refract Surg 2012 Jan;38(1):170-3

Department of Ophthalmology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville, Florida, USA.

A 61-year-old African American man presented with decreased vision of 2 months duration. Examination revealed a significant lenticular astigmatism and sectoral cataract as a result of an amelanotic iris lesion. Slitlamp optical coherence tomography (OCT) revealed angle crowding. Read More

Int J Gynecol Cancer 2007 May-Jun;17(3):724-8. Epub 2007 Feb 9.

Department of Gynecology, Shinsuma Hospital, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan.

Uterine leiomyosarcoma, initially diagnosed as leiomyoma on magnetic resonance (MR) images, was disclosed after focused ultrasound surgery (FUS). The tumor did not display high signal intensity on either T1- or T2-weighted images on the patient's first visit. Four months thereafter, T2-weighted images revealed a high signal intensity area within the tumor, while T1-weighted images showed low signal intensity. Read More

Vestn Oftalmol 2006 Nov-Dec;122(6):47

Taiwan J Obstet Gynecol 2006 Jun;45(2):124-8

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chi Mei Hospital, Liouying, Tainan, Taiwan.

Objective: To investigate the change in volume of uterine fibroids after GnRH analog (GnRHa) treatment.

Materials And Methods: Twenty-five patients who had a uterine leiomyoma were included in this study. Four of them were lost to follow-up during the study, and a myomectomy was performed on the remaining subjects. Read More

Acta Ophthalmol Scand 2004 Feb;82(1):112-4

Vet Ophthalmol 2003 Jun;6(2):173-6

Department of Veterinary Clinical Studies, University of Glasgow, UK.

A leiomyoma of the iris is described in an 11-year-old Yorkshire Terrier. This is a rare primary intraocular tumor in dogs and we describe the clinical presentation, gross findings and histopathologic characteristics of this tumor. The diagnosis was made on the basis of light microscopy and immunohistochemical staining using antidesmin antibodies, which is specific for myogenic tissues. Read More

Surv Ophthalmol 2000 Jan-Feb;44(4):336-42

Medical and Vision Research Foundation, Chennai, India.

Leiomyoma of the ciliary body is a rare tumor that often causes a diagnostic dilemma. Sclerouvectomy has been found to be beneficial in the management of iris and ciliary body leiomyoma. We treated a case of leiomyoma of the ciliary body presenting as a fleshy mass in the anterior chamber, removed by partial lamellar sclerouvectomy. Read More

Ultrastruct Pathol 1997 Nov-Dec;21(6):559-67

Department of Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.

Unlike smooth muscle elsewhere in the body, the smooth muscle of the iris and ciliary body is derived from neuroectoderm (mesectoderm). Leiomyomas that arise from the ciliary body, and therefore are of mesectodermal origin, may resemble spindle cell neurogenic tumors by light microscopy. They show positive immunostaining for smooth muscle actin but negative staining for neural markers. Read More

Acta Ophthalmol Scand 1997 Aug;75(4):470-3

University Eye Department, The National Hospital, Rikshospitalet, University of Oslo, Norway.

Purpose: To report an iris leiomyoma documented in accordance with today's stricter diagnostic criteria.

Methods: Light microscopy, immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy were performed on the 3 mm ball-like, greyish-white vascularized tumour of the iris, close to the sphincter pupillae.

Results: Light microscopy of the extirpated neoplasm showed the characteristic appearance of a leiomyoma with densely packed spindle-shaped cells, with oval nuclei and granular cytoplasm. Read More

Ophthalmology 1994 May;101(5):919-24

Department of Ocular Oncology, Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, UK.

Background: Intraocular smooth muscle tumors have long been a subject of controversy. The advent of immunohistochemistry with antibodies against HMB-45, S-100, smooth muscle actin, desmin, and vimentin has helped greatly in the distinction between smooth muscle tumors and melanocytic lesions.

Methods: Twenty-seven archival tissue blocks from patients who had had intraocular leiomyomas or leiomyosarcomas diagnosed were located and fresh sections cut and stained for the above markers. Read More

Klin Monbl Augenheilkd 1992 Nov;201(5):322-4

Augenklinik mit Poliklinik, Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg.

A 20-year-old white man demonstrated a 2-3 mm in diameter ball like, grey white vascularized tumor at 12h in the iris stroma adjacent to the sphincter pupillae OD. The tumor was excised by sector iridectomy. Light microscopically the tumor consisted of densely packed spindle-shaped cells with oval nuclei with granular eosinophilic cytoplasm. Read More

J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus 1990 Nov-Dec;27(6):317-21

Georgiana Dvorak Theobald Ophthalmic Pathology Laboratory, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Illinois, College of Medicine, Chicago 60612.

An 8-year-old white boy had a mass of the ciliary body in his left eye. Both the translucent characteristics and the magnetic resonance imaging findings suggested that this lesion was cystic. Fluid aspiration biopsy and iridocyclectomy were performed. Read More

Can J Ophthalmol 1989 Jun;24(4):169-71

Ivey Institute of Ophthalmology, Victoria Hospital, London, Ont.

A 77-year-old white woman presented with a lightly pigmented iris lesion assumed clinically to be an iris melanoma. Light microscopy of the excised tumour showed it to be a spindle-cell tumour. Electron microscopy confirmed the diagnosis of leiomyoma of the iris. Read More

Fortschr Ophthalmol 1989 ;86(6):631-5

The clinical, surgical and light microscopical features of a mesectodermal leiomyoma of the ciliary body are presented. Slit-lamp examination of a 63-year old woman strongly suggested a malignant lesion of the ciliary body and the peripheral choroid. Following cryoretinopexy and argonlaser-photocoagulation, the tumor and the adjacent portion of the cornea, angle structures, iris, ciliary body, choroid and sclera were removed en bloc. Read More

Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 1989 ;227(2):101-5

Department of Ophthalmology, Tenri Hospital, Tenri City, Japan.

The case of a 28-year-old woman with a well-vascularized, yellowish neoplasm in her right eye is reported. The findings upon slit-lamp examination and fluorescein iridography strongly suggested a malignant lesion. The tumor and the adjacent portion of the iris, angle structures, ciliary body, cornea, and sclera were removed en bloc under the half-thickness corneoscleral flap. Read More

Int Ophthalmol 1987 Oct;11(1):55-61

LSU Eye Center, Louisiana State University Medical Center, School of Medicine, New Orleans.

We used a contact Nd:YAG laser fit with a 0.2-mm diameter sapphire tip to excise a large (5 1/2 clock hour) iris ciliary body-choroidal tumor and a large (15 X 8 X 3 mm) choroidal tumor. The cutting and coagulation action of the laser helped to minimize intraoperative and postoperative hemorrhage. Read More

Arch Ophthalmol 1987 Jun;105(6):819-24

A 4-year-old boy had a jet-black, nodular lesion growing in his right iris. Detailed clinical and histopathologic studies of this unusual tumor showed the lesion to be derived from the anterior iris pigment epithelium. The tumor cells appeared to be benign and exhibited characteristics of both pigment epithelium and smooth muscle. Read More

J Comp Pathol 1987 Mar;97(2):227-9

A leiomyoma of the iris was composed of bundles of spindle-shaped cells with abundant myoglial fibres and represents the first observation of this rare tumour in a rat. Read More

Bull Soc Ophtalmol Fr 1986 Feb;86(2):161-2

Ophthalmologica 1985 ;191(2):127-9

A neoplasm of the ciliary body extending from the equator to the iris and the anterior chamber was observed in an 18-year old girl. Because the visual acuity was lost and the clinical diagnosis was uncertain the eye was enucleated. Both optic and electron microscopic investigations allowed the diagnosis of the mesectodermal type of leiomyoma of the ciliary body. Read More

Boll Soc Ital Biol Sper 1984 Jun;60(6):1253-9

Fluorangiography is a very important investigation in order to have a differential diagnosis in all pathological pattern of the conjunctiva of scleral corneal limbus of the sclera of the iris of the ciliary-body. We have in the literature two different patterns: A) Fluorescein negative pattern (cystic neoformations, benign tumors with or without pigment) B) Fluorescein positive pattern (inflammatory pseudotumors, malignant tumors). Authors agree more or less with this classification; they have, moreover, worked out some variations. Read More

Klin Oczna 1983 Oct;85(10):363-5

Ophthalmology 1983 Jun;90(6):716-20

The records of 200 consecutive patients referred to the Ocular Oncology Service of Wills Eye Hospital because of an iris lesion suspected of being an iris melanoma were reviewed. On clinical evaluation, 24% of the lesions met the criteria for the diagnosis of iris melanoma and 76% were diagnosed as simulating lesions (pseudomelanomas). The most common pseudomelanomas included primary iris cyst (38%), iris nevus (31%), essential iris atrophy (5. Read More

Acta Ophthalmol (Copenh) 1982 Apr;60(2):183-9

This report describes surgical observation and histopathological findings in a case of a 44-year-old male with leiomyoma of the iris in his left eye which had initiated from uveitis. In view of clinical efficiency and electron microscopic detection of leiomyoma, it is recommended that the tumour be excised after freezing coagulation. For confirmative diagnosis of leiomyoma of the iris, an electron microscopic detection is necessary to demonstrate the characteristic findings including cells with cigar-shaped nuclei, cytoplasmic and plasma-lemmal density, fine filaments, surface-connected vesicles and basement membrane. Read More

Klin Monbl Augenheilkd 1981 Dec;179(6):399-401

The development of changes in the iris, with unexpected histologic diagnoses, is described. One patient was found to be suffering from bilateral iris nodules, the unexpected manifestation of a Boeck's sarcoid which had not been diagnosed. In another case, the growth observed in the size of the tumor seemed to indicate malignancy, although histology showed it to be a benign leiomyoma with increasingly cystic changes. Read More

Can J Ophthalmol 1981 Oct;16(4):195-9

A tapioca melanoma in a 75-year-old Caucasian man was shown by light microscopy to consist of spindle B cells with abundant vesicular cytoplasm, minimal pigmentation and surface nodularity that correlated with the gross appearance. Electron microscopy showed spindle shaped cells with multiple premelanosomes and melanin granules. Iris angiography demonstrated an irregular crisscrossing vascular network with a papillary configuration and fluorescein leakage confined to the tumour. Read More

Br J Ophthalmol 1980 Nov;64(11):867-74

The diagnostic potential of oxytalan fibre demonstration in differentiating between leiomyomas and spindle-cell malignant melanomas of the iris was investigated. It was found that oxytalan fibres were abundant in leiomyomata, both between and around the tumour cells, whereas they were found in small numbers only and usually near the iris muscle in malignant melanomata. Their presence and distribution, therefore, appear to offer a satisfactory method of differentiating between these tumours. Read More

Klin Monbl Augenheilkd 1980 Jun;176(6):933-7

An analysis is presented of eye-preserving operations in 129 patients with iridociliary tumors. Careful selection of the surgical procedure and exact determination of indications enabled the authors to preserve the eye as a functioning or at least a cosmetically acceptable organ in 118 patients; of the patients who underwent surgery, 76% retained a high degree of visual acuity. Irrespective of these good results the authors restrict the indication for an eye-preserving operation to tumors of the ciliary body which do not exceed 1/4 of its circumference. Read More

J Fr Ophtalmol 1979 Aug-Sep;2(8-9):501-12

Br J Ophthalmol 1979 Mar;63(3):157-60

Fluorescein iridoangiography of 33 eyes with benign tumours and 22 eyes with malignant tumours is discussed. In cases of leiomyoma the tumour vessels have a distinct pattern, and fluorescence of the tumour tissue is mottled and short-lived. Malignant tumours are characterised by distortion of their vessels. Read More

Vestn Oftalmol 1977 Jan-Feb(1):68-73

Arch Ophtalmol Rev Gen Ophtalmol 1975 Mar;35(3):245-52

A case of leiomyoma of the iris confirned to the nasal quadrant in a 64 year old man is presented. The clinical and histopathological characteristics of this observation confirms the classical data about this rare tumor : clinical silence, discovery through a complication, difficult diagnosis, therapeutical value of the surgical biopsy and good prognosis. Read More

Bull Soc Ophtalmol Fr 1975 Jan;75(1):9-13

Klin Monbl Augenheilkd 1974 Feb;164(2):197-205

Bull World Health Organ 1974 ;50(1-2):135-42

Most types of epithelial tumour of the eyelids, conjunctiva, and cornea occur in all species; the most common type occurring in any species is bovine squamous cell carcinoma. Iridociliary epithelial tumours and malignant melanomas are the most important intraocular tumours. The histological features of the tumours are described under the following main headings: epithelial tumours of the eyelids, conjunctiva, and cornea; mesenchymal tumours (extraocular, optic nerve and nerve sheath, and uveal tract); neuroectodermal tumours; and melanogenic tumours of the eyelids and conjunctiva and of the uveal tract. Read More

Ber Zusammenkunft Dtsch Ophthalmol Ges 1974 ;72:343-7

Trans Ophthalmol Soc U K 1973 ;93(0):93-102

Am J Ophthalmol 1972 Sep;74(3):475-8

Br J Ophthalmol 1971 Nov;55(11):773-6

Br J Ophthalmol 1971 May;55(5):353-6

Klin Oczna 1970 ;40(6):865-9

Arch Ophtalmol Rev Gen Ophtalmol 1968 Dec;28(8):809-14

Albrecht Von Graefes Arch Klin Exp Ophthalmol 1968 ;175(3):208-14