Ciliary body melanoma Ciliary body melanoma Ciliary Body Melanoma is a type of cancer arising from the coloured part (uvea) of the eye. About 12% of uveal melanoma arise from the ciliary body. It occurs most commonly in the sixth decade. The tumour is usually diagnosed by clinical examination with a slit-lamp utilising a triple mirror contact lens. Ultrasonography and fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) are also sometimes helpful in confirming the diagnosis. Enucleation (surgical removal of the eye) is the treatment of choice for large ciliary body melanomas. Small or medium sized tumors may be treated by an "iridocyclectomy". Radiotherapy may be
Cornea is densely innervated with sensory nerve fibres via the ophthalmic division of the trigeminal nerve by way of 70–80 long ciliary nerves. Research suggests the density of pain receptors in the cornea is 300-600 times greater than skin and 20-40 times greater than dental pulp, making any injury to the structure excruciatingly painful. The ciliary nerves run under the endothelium and exit the eye through holes in the sclera apart from the optic nerve (which transmits only optic signals). The nerves enter the cornea via three levels; "scleral, episcleral and conjunctival". Most of the bundles give rise by subdivision to