Coronal adenomas.

The incidence and morphologic features of coronal adenomas, benign epithelial tumors of the ciliary processes, were studied in 500 autopsy cases. Macroscopically, coronal adenomas are white, globular, often cystic in appearance, of limited growth potential, and found only on the ciliary processes. Microscopically, they contain convoluted sheets or tubes of nonpigmented epithelium, between which are found varying amounts of amorphous eosinophilic, PAS-positive, extracellular material. Coronal adenomas were present in 153 (31%) of 500 cases, were bilateral in 23 (15%), and were thus present in 176 (18%) of the 1,000 eyes examined. Two clinically important complications of coronal adenomas were found, sectoral cataracts and misdiagnosis as iris tumor.