[Necrotic medulloepithelioma of the eye]

An exceptionally rare case of the ciliary body medulloepithelioma is described. The distinctive feature of this case was the subtotal necrosis of the tumour. The development of necrosis is attributed to the destruction of the lens capsule and lens fibres by tumour cells. It resulted in phako--anaphylactic endophthalmitis which is likely to have been the cause of the tumour necrosis. Possible immune and autoimmune mechanisms of inflammatory--destructive changes of the eye tissue and the tumour are discussed.