PURPOSE: This study was performed to investigate the morphological change of the iris and ciliary body of human eyes during fetal period. METHODS: Under the Registry of Congenital malformation, fetuses were supplied by the Department of Pathology of Seoul National University. We selected 81 eyes enrolled with the gestational age between 8 and 40 weeks, and examined under light microscope. RESULTS: The development of iris and ciliary body began from 12 weeks. During the gestational age 15-18 weeks, marginal sinus and the fold of iris and ciliary body were formed. At the gestational age 18 weeks, the iris sphincter located in front of marginal sinus was certainly distinguished, and the vessels of ciliary body formed. During the gestational age 19-22 weeks the minor folds of ciliary body were formed between the original it. During the gestational age 23-27 weeks marginal sinus was being diminished and dilator muscle was seen. During the gestational age 28-30 weeks the dilator muscle of iris was certainly developed and the longitudinal and circular muscle of ciliary body were distinguished. During the gestational age 34-40 weeks the adultlike appearance of the iris and ciliary body became apparent. CONCLUSIONS: The mesenchymal cells located in the anterior rim of optic cup began to develop after the gestational age 12 weeks. If the develpment of the iris and ciliary body was arrested around the gestational age 15-22 weeks, the congenital malformation of the iris and ciliary body could appear.
Ciliary Body* ; Fetus ; Gestational Age* ; Humans ; Iris* ; Pathology ; Seoul

Adenocarcinoma ; pathology ; Aged ; Ciliary Body ; pathology ; Epithelium ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Uveal Neoplasms ; pathology

Adenomas of the nonpigmented ciliary epithelium (NPCE) are often clinically indistinguishable from amelanotic malignant melanomas of the ciliary body or metastatic carcinomas. This paper reports a case study of a distinctive variant of adenoma of the NPCE, which clinically appears as epiretinal membrane in the macular region. Histopathologic studies have revealed this is an adenoma of the NPCE. Identification of this clinic feature is important because it will miss the diagnosis of the adenoma of the NPCE. In this case study, B-scan ultrasonography as well as computerized tomography (CT) has been used to provide help in diagnosing the ciliary body tumor. Because of their anterior location in the ciliary body, partial lamellar sclerouvectomy is an effective method of treatment.
Adenoma ; pathology ; Adult ; Ciliary Body ; pathology ; Epithelium, Corneal ; pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Pigment Epithelium of Eye ; pathology ; Uveal Neoplasms ; pathology

Adult ; Central Nervous System Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; Ciliary Body ; pathology ; Humans ; Male

Medulloepithelioma, a rare tumor, arises from the epithelium of the medullary tube. In this article, we present a 3-year-old boy who suffered from secondary glaucoma, initially presumed the primary disease was endophthalmitis. Subconjunctival mass was later found, pathologically proved to be medulloepithelioma. We discuss the patient management with emphasis on the early signs of examination and the role of ultrabiomicroscopy (UBM) in evaluating pediatric secondary glaucoma and in influencing the management of patients with medulloepithelioma.
Child, Preschool ; Ciliary Body ; pathology ; Eye Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; Glaucoma ; Humans ; Male ; Neuroectodermal Tumors, Primitive ; diagnosis

Adolescent ; Ciliary Body ; pathology ; surgery ; Cysts ; surgery ; Glare ; Humans ; Male ; Neodymium ; chemistry ; Yttrium ; chemistry

Adenocarcinoma ; pathology ; Ciliary Body ; Humans ; Iris Neoplasms ; pathology ; Lung Neoplasms ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Uveal Neoplasms ; pathology

We report a case of ciliary body melanocytoma in a Korean patient, which presented as an intermittently painful pigmented iris mass and was successfully managed by iridocyclectomy. A 52-year-old healthy man presented with an irregularly-shaped and heavily-pigmented mass at the iris root of his right eye. Visual acuity of the right eye was 20/20 with normal intraocular pressure. Ultrasound biomicroscopy showed a 1.5x1.3-mm ciliary-body mass with extension into the iris root. Iridocyclectomy with scleral resection under a lamellar scleral flap was performed, and the histopathologic features of the resected tissue were consistent with melanocytoma of the ciliary body. The patient's visual acuity remained 20/20 with good postoperative cosmesis. During one year of follow-up, no signs of tumor recurrence were seen, and the patient reported resolution of the intermittent ocular pain in the involved eye.
*Ciliary Body/surgery ; Humans ; Iris/*pathology/*physiopathology/surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Invasiveness/*pathology/physiopathology ; Nevus/*pathology/surgery ; Pain/*physiopathology ; Uveal Neoplasms/*pathology/surgery

The whole retina, except for the medullary fiber zone in a rabbit eye, is supplied by choroidal circulation. Therefore, the histopathological changes of the sensory retina due to choroidal circulatory disturbance in rabbits may be comparable to that of the human sensory retina in the case of ophthalmic artery occlusion. This study was carried out to evaluate the histopathological changes of the ischemic retina secondary to the occlusion of choroidal circulation. The experimental occlusion of all posterior ciliary arteries and anterior ciliary arteries in the horizontal rectus muscle of rabbit eyes was performed and the subsequent histopathological changes of the sensory retina were observed by transmission electron microscopy. The morphological changes of the sensory retina following the occlusion of the ciliary arterial system are as follows: severe loss of the inner and outer segments of the photoreceptor, mild to moderate degeneration of the ganglion cells, and excellent preservation of the Muller's cell fibers and the extension of the cytoplasmic villous processes to the cytoplasmic vacuolar spaces of other degenerated cells. These findings indicate that the Muller's fibers in the ischemic condition of retina might contribute to the formation of gliosis or scarring of a damaged retina.
Animals ; Arterial Occlusive Diseases/*complications ; Arteries ; Choroid/*blood supply ; Ciliary Body/*blood supply ; Ischemia/*etiology/pathology ; Rabbits ; Retina/*ultrastructure ; *Retinal Vessels

BACKGROUNDCiliary body tumors are usually difficult to diagnose and treat in early stages. However, treatment of such tumors has trended toward ocular conservation instead of enucleation. Local excision of ciliary body tumors has become effective with the development of the modern vitrectomy, but long-term outcomes are still not clear. Therefore, we reported the outcome of locally excised ciliary body tumors after long-term follow-up.

METHODSTwenty-two patients (22 eyes), who had been diagnosed with ciliary body tumors in Beijing Tongren Hospital from January 1996 to June 2001, were enrolled in this prospective cohort study. Localized lamellar sclera-ciliary excisions were performed. In some cases, vitrectomies, scleral graft transplantations, and further excisions of the anterior choroid were performed. Diagnoses were confirmed by histopathologic examination. Patients were followed from five to eleven years after surgery. Their visual acuity, intraocular pressure and local recurrence were recorded with descriptive percentages.

RESULTSAfter surgery, all patients maintained normal eyeball appearances. Six patients maintained circular pupils. The final best corrected visual acuities (BCVA) varied from 0.02 - 1.00, including 18 patients (81.82%) who had BCVA equal to or better than that before surgery. Fifteen patients (68.18%) had BCVA better than 0.3. Only two patients had intraocular pressure (IOP) of less than 10 mmHg and the other patients maintained normal IOP. Nine cases (40.91%) were given confirmed diagnosis of malignant melanoma, four (18.18%) of melanocytoma, six (27.27%) of nonpigmented ciliary epithelial adenoma, two (9.09%) of neurofibroma, and one (4.55%) of neurinoma. Twenty patients (90.91%) had no recurrence during the follow-up period. In one case melanocytoma recurred seven years after surgery and enucleation was performed. One patient, whose operation removed a malignant melanoma with a diameter of 16 mm, died of hepatic metastasis five years after the operation.

CONCLUSIONFor some ciliary body tumors, especially in the early stages, local excision is an effective and safe method to save the vision and the eyeball.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Ciliary Body ; Cohort Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure ; Male ; Melanoma ; surgery ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Uveal Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; surgery ; Visual Acuity