Approximately 11% of all intraocular melanomas found in enucleated eyes are unsuspected clinically.1 If the retinal detachment associated with such melanomas is mistaken for an idiopathic serous detachment and treated, the possible results are illustrated by the following:
Report of Case
The blind left eye of a 50-year-old white woman was enucleated with clinical diagnoses of chronic glaucoma, cataracta complicata, and retinal detachment. Nearly five years before, in March, 1957, a diathermy operation to correct detachment of most of the lower half of the retina had been performed. Except for a small area at the six o'clock position, the retina was in satisfactory position postoperatively. A second diathermy operation performed in October, 1957, seemed to produce satisfactory results until August, 1958, when the retina separated again. Two months later a scleral buckling with an encircling polyethylene tube was performed, but the retinal detachment persisted. Elevated intraocular pressure was first