Canine ocular tumors following ciliary body ablation with intravitreal gentamicin

Iridociliary tumors are the second most common primary ocular tumor in dogs and are usually benign. A review of the Comparative Ocular Pathology Laboratory of Wisconsin (COPLOW) database in 2009 suggested a potential correlation between malignant iridociliary epithelial tumors and ciliary body ablation by intravitreal gentamicin injection for the treatment of glaucoma. The purpose of this case series was to determine whether there is evidence of such a correlation in the COPLOW collection. Mining of the COPLOW database revealed that a significant number (39.5%) of canine globes with a history of ciliary body ablation were subsequently diagnosed with primary ocular tumors at enucleation, most commonly iridociliary epithelial tumors and melanocytic tumors. It is possible that neoplasia was present but unrecognized at the time of ciliary body ablation. These tumors had a higher than expected incidence of malignancy. These cases underscore the importance of reserving ciliary body ablation with gentamicin for disease-free eyes.