Unrelenting Ocular Pain as a Masquerading Symptom of Occult Choroidal Metastasis

Abstract

Purpose: To report a case of chronic eye pain as a presenting feature of choroidal metastasis from lung cancer. Methods: We report the case of a 58-year-old Caucasian woman with stage IV lung adenocarcinoma presenting with an 8-month history of left eye pain and blurred vision. Results: The patient had previously consulted 14 ophthalmologists with varying diagnoses including posterior scleritis and trigeminal neuralgia. Visual acuity at presentation was 20/20 in the right eye and 20/80 in the left eye. Examination of the right eye was normal, while the left eye showed ill-defined flat yellow discoloration of the choroid with overlying shifting subretinal fluid. Ultrasonography demonstrated a dense choroidal thickening measuring 2.6 mm in size and showing subretinal fluid. Enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography revealed choroidal thickening with a 'lumpy bumpy' surface topography consistent with a metastatic choroidal tumor presumably from the patient's lung adenocarcinoma. Fine needle aspiration biopsy followed by treatment was recommended, but the patient declined and later succumbed to metastatic disease. Conclusion: We present a case of chronic eye pain associated with diffuse choroidal thickening from metastatic lung adenocarcinoma that was previously unrecognized and misdiagnosed. This case emphasizes the importance of recognizing pain as a presenting symptom of choroidal metastasis.