BACKGROUND: Primary malignant melanoma of the optic nerve or its sheath, without choroidal involvement, is rare. CASE DESCRIPTION: A case of primary malignant melanoma of the optic nerve in a 67-year-old man is presented. CONCLUSIONS: With a preserved vision, normal fundoscopy makes the correct preoperative diagnosis a real challenge. Proptosis, as a sole presentation of this lesion, has not been described earlier. Microsurgical excision of such a lesion from the optic nerve saves vision and may be considered a satisfactory management option in selected cases.
BACKGROUND:Primary malignant melanoma of the optic nerve or its sheath, without choroidal involvement, is rare. CASE DESCRIPTION: A case of primary malignant melanoma of the optic nerve in a 67-year-old man is presented. CONCLUSIONS: With a preserved vision, normal fundoscopy makes the correct preoperative diagnosis a real challenge. Proptosis, as a sole presentation of this lesion, has not been described earlier. Microsurgical excision of such a lesion from the optic nerve saves vision and may be considered a satisfactory management option in selected cases.