The Retina Reference

Choroidal Melanoma

You should look at the Normal Retina photo first for comparison. In this photo, the dark lesion in the southwest corner is a choroidal melanoma, a cancer arising from pigmented cells in the choroid, a layer beneath the retina. Sometimes choroidal melanomas can bleed, as seen in this case. Choroidal melanomas are treated by a type of laser called transpupillary thermotherapy, by radiation from Iodine 125 plaques sewn to the surface of the eye for several days, and in the worst cases by surgically removing the eye (enucleation). For more information on choroidal melanoma, see the brochure under the heading Information.