Differentiation of adenoma of the iris pigment epithelium from iris cyst and melanoma

A 32-year-old black man had a deeply pigmented anterior uveal lesion that was indenting and subluxing the lens. The mass was successfully removed by a sector iridectomy and diagnosed histologically as an adenoma of the iris pigment epithelium. Although this rare tumor is sometimes misdiagnosed clinically as a malignant melanoma or iris cyst, it has distinctive clinical features which should differentiate it from these other entities.