Snowflakes in the Eye – An Uncommon Presentation of Iris Metastasis of Esophageal Carcinoma and Review of Literature

ABSTRACT

Purpose

To alert clinicians to an uncommon presentation of iris metastasis of esophageal carcinoma. We reported a 67-year-old man complained of blurred vision and ocular pain of his right eye for 1 month. He was diagnosed iridocyclitis of the right eye 2 weeks ago and he had a history of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma for 5 years with no regular treatment. Under slit-lamp microscopy, accumulating snowflakes-like deposits were found in the anterior chamber of the right eye. Ocular metastasis was then confirmed by atypical cells in the aqueous humor and positron emission tomography (PET-CT).

Methods

Retrospective review of a case note and review of literature.

Conclusion

We presented a rare case of iris metastasis of esophageal carcinoma and highlighted the importance of maintaining suspicion for metastasis in any elderly patients with uveitis, since the diseases masquerading as uveitis are not only vision threatening but may be potentially fatal.

KEYWORDS:

• Iris
• metastasis
• esophageal carcinoma

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by a grant from Tianjin Clinical Key Discipline Project [grant number: TJLCZDXKQ023]. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.