OCULAR MELANOMAS AND MELANOCYTIC LESIONS OF THE EYE

This article describes several melanocytic lesions of the eye. Benign and malignant lesions will be discussed as well as a review of the dys plastic nevus syndrome and its proposed association with ocular melano ma. Ocular melanomas arise from the same embryologically derived melan ocytes as their cutaneous counterparts. However, ocular and cutaneous melanomas differ in many respects. The diagnosis and management of the se ocular tumors rely heavily on the ophthalmologist. However, knowled ge of melanocytic lesions will aid the dermatologist in detection and in proper referral of these patients.