MANAGEMENT OF IRISH PATIENTS WITH INTRAOCULAR MELANOMA REFERRED TO LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND

Purpose: This study reviews the results of patients referred from Irel and for treatment of an intraocular melanoma at the Ocular Oncology Se rvice at St Paul's Eye Unit, Liverpool, Patients and Methods: There we re 57 patients with a median age of 55 years, Management included plaq ue radiotherapy (14), proton beam radiotherapy (17), local resection ( 10), endoresection (6), and enucleation (10), Fifty-two tumours involv ed the choroid, The tumours had a mean diameter of 11.4 mm and a mean thickness of 5.2 mm, Results: The follow-up period had a median of 267 days. Retention of the eye was achieved in all 47 cases who underwent conservative management, Ninety percent of patients retained a vision of counting fingers, with an acuity of 6/12 or better in 50%, Conclus ion: This group of patients gives an indication of the results that ca n be expected when uveal melanoma is managed by a variety of conservat ive techniques in a specialised ocular oncology service.