Necrosis of choroidal melanoma: in ciliary artery involvement with temporal arteritis.

A choroidal melanoma was clinically suspected in one eye of an 84-year-old farmer. At the time of the first examination the patient refused the studies necessary for a certain diagnosis as well as any treatment. Later, when the eye suddenly became blind and painful, it was enucleated. Pathological study revealed necrosis of all ocular contents, but the presence of a choroidal melanoma could still be verified histologically. The ciliary artery supplying the region of the melanoma was involved with giant cell arteritis. General examination of the patient gave support to a diagnosis of temporal arteritis, and steroid treatment resulted in general improvement.