Local resection of uveal melanoma

This article describes the techniques, indications, and results of local resection of intraocular melanomas using (1) the external approach with lamellar scleral dissection and hypotensive anaesthesia and (2) in the transvitreal approach (endoresection). In principle, local resection is indicated for iris and ciliary body tumours and for medium and large choroidal tumours which are not expected to do well after radiotherapy. Contraindications to local resection are optic disc involvement, significant extraocular tumour extension, and involvement of more than a third of the ciliary body or angle.