CYST OF THE IRIS STROMA

A 50-year-old female developed a cyst of the iris stroma in her right eye. Because of slight enlargement within 10 weeks sector iridectomy w as performed. Histology showed that the cyst was lined by a cellular l ayer resembling conjunctival or corneal epithelium. The benign clinica l course (normal function, normal intraocular pressure and no recurren ce after 4 years) and the intrastromal rather than epistromal localiza tion hold evidence for a spontaneous origin. Spontaneous cysts of the iris stroma especially in adults are rarely described in the literatur e. The question still to be answered is whether these lesions are real ly spontaneous in origin or whether they represent only an intraocular epithelial invasion due to an occult perforation of the eye.