Fuchs' adenoma affecting the peripheral iris

An elevated, pigmented lesion of the peripheral iris developed in a 73-year-old woman. The lesion was believed to be a malignant melanoma and was excised at the time of routine cataract extraction. Pathologic examination disclosed a Fuchs' adenoma. These lesions are common in the elderly and are almost invariably clinically silent. This case, however, demonstrates that under rare circumstances a Fuchs' adenoma may induce cataractous changes or produce clinical findings that can mimic an iris melanoma.