Uveal melanoma with opaque media: absence of definitive diagnosis before enucleation

It is often difficult to make a correct diagnosis of a uveal melanoma in an eye with opaque media. A patient with a blind, painful eye and opaque media was evaluated clinically and with computed axial tomography and ultrasonography. We were unable to establish the definitive diagnosis of a uveal melanoma until the eye was examined histologically. Necrotic melanomas usually present with inflammatory signs, may produce opaque media and can be difficult to diagnose with clinical and imaging studies.