Background/aims

To report the case of a 77-year-old male with a blind, painful eye, referred for suspected corneal mass, with finding of choroidal B-cell lymphoma on pathology of enucleated globe.

Methods

This is a retrospective case report of a single patient.

Results

A 77-year-old male with a longstanding history of poor vision in the left eye was referred for a scarred, vascularized corneal mass. The patient had reported occasional mild ocular discomfort in the left eye and loss of light perception over the last year. Visual acuity was 20/20 in the right eye and no light perception in the left eye. Intraocular pressure was 32 mm Hg in the left eye. Fundoscopic visualization was not possible due to corneal opacity. B-scan ultrasound showed an infiltrative, low-reflective choroidal lesion and inferior retinal detachment. Pathology from the enucleated globe revealed diffuse sheets of CD20+ small B cells replacing the choroid, characteristic of a low-grade small B-cell extranodal marginal zone lymphoma.

Conclusion

This is an unusual presentation of choroidal lymphoma in an eye with severe corneal opacification and scarring, and underscores the diagnostic value of ultrasonography in examination of eyes without view to the posterior segment.