Total blindness from presumed optic nerve melanocytoma.

Abstract

To describe total blindness secondary to presumed optic nerve melanocytoma. Interventional case report. A 12-year-old African-American girl, who developed loss of light perception secondary to a pigmented lesion of the optic disk, underwent transvitreal fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) of the lesion. Cytopathology revealed cells with features of melanocytoma and melanophages but no cells compatible with melanoma. The patient is being followed without treatment. Optic nerve melanocytoma can cause total blindness in the affected eye. Although it has limitations, FNAB can assist in diagnosis and management of melanocytoma with visual loss.