STUDY OF THE BLOOD-OCULAR BARRIER IN UVEAL MELANOMA BY VITREOUS FLUOROPHOTOMETRY

Purpose To evaluate the use of intravenous vitreous fluorophotometry i n assessement of the blood-aqueous barrier in eyes with uveal melanoma . Method Vitreous fluorophotometry was performed before treatment in 1 4 patients with uveal melanoma. Both eyes of patients were examined an d fifteen control healthy patients were examined between November 1996 and December 1996 at the department of ophthalmology of Bicetre hospi tal. Results Tumors with height > 6 mm and serous retinal detachments were accompanied by marked alterations of the blood-aqueous barrier, v itreous fluorophotometry showed diffusion of dye in posterior; mid and anterior vitreous: 2.99 ng/ml in the posterior vitreous and 5.20 ng/m l in the anterior vitreous. The posterior vitreous fluorescence at 60 minutes in the control eyes was 1.43 ng/ml and 1.30 ng/ml in the anter ior vitreous. Diffusion of dye was present in the posterior vitreous i n patients with tumor height less than 6mm I 2.38 ng/ml (1.43 ng/ml in control eyes) at 60 minutes. Conclusions Fluorophotometry provides a method for the assessment of the blood-aqueous ocular barrier in eyes with choroidal melanoma.