Free-floating Pigmented Iris Cyst in the Anterior Chamber

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this project is to report the successful removal of a free-floating pigmented iris cyst in a patient’s anterior chamber, which was causing visual disturbance. Case summary: A 27-year-old man visited our hospital because of an intermittent visual disturbance in his right eye developed two months prior to admission. There was no history of ocular trauma, surgery, inflammation, or a general medical problem. On slit lamp examination, we found a free-floating translucent pigmented iris cyst, which was ovoid in shape and about 3 mm in size in the right eye near the pupil margin. Moving in the anterior chamber, the cyst caused visual disturbance because it partly covered the pupil. It was also near the endothelium. Through the clear cornea incision, the iris cyst was removed successfully. From histopathologic investigation of the cyst, the tissue was found to consist of mature pigment epithelium, including pigment granules Conclusions: A free-floating pigmented iris cyst in the anterior chamber generally does not result in any complications and maintains its condition stably without changing in size. Hence, as long as it does not cause complications, no treatment is necessary. However, if it causes visual disturbance or it damages endothelial cells or causes glaucoma or any other intraocular complication, it needs to be treated. In the case of our patient, visual disturbance did occur and we removed the iris cyst through an operation. Such a case has not been reported before in South Korea.