We here report the case of a 18-year old patient who was referred for evaluation of pigmented subconjunctival tumor of the left eye mimicking uveal melanoma. The patient reported that the lesion had evolved rapidly during the previous months. Eye exam showed prominent dark brown lesion adjacent to the limbus between 3 and 9 hours, measuring 10 mm x 6 mm (A). Ultrasonographic biomicroscopy revealed cystic structure communicating with the vitreous cavity, suggesting the diagnosis of uveal hernia rather of melanoma. During a more thorough interview, the patient reported that he had undergone transfixing keratoplasty for cloudy patch secondary to blunt trauma from stone's throw dating back 10 years. We assumed that the scleral wall had been damaged, leading to the development of scleromalacia with uveal hernia. The patient had recently had an acute episode of vomiting which could have lead to an increase in lesion size. The patient was followed up for several weeks, during which the lesion was stable. The patient underwent surgery with successful uveal tissue reintegration and sclera closure (B).
Keywords: Scleromalacia; melanoma; trauma.