Marsupialized fungal mycetoma masquerading as conjunctival melanoma.

PURPOSE: To report a case of a fungal mass misdiagnosed as a pigmented conjunctival melanoma.

METHOD: Case report.

RESULT: A 38-year-old woman was referred for a pigmented conjunctival lesion that was diagnosed as a melanoma. She had a history of a scleral buckle in that eye for retinal detachment 2 years before presentation. Slit-lamp examination revealed a pigmented mass from the 11- to 2-o'clock position. This was noted to be imbricated within the invagination of a conjunctival fold from the previous surgery. The mass was removed, cultured, and confirmed to be a fungal infection from Scytalidium sp.

CONCLUSIONS

Scleral buckles can cause folds in the conjunctiva, which can be foci for fungal infection.