Impact of enucleation for choroidal melanoma on the performance of vision-dependent activities
M. G. Edwards and A. P. Schachat
Ocular Oncology Service, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD 21205.
We report a functional outcome assessment of 71 patients who underwent
enucleation for choroidal melanoma. Each was interviewed to evaluate his
her self-reported ability to perform four vision-dependent
activities--working, driving, reading, and television viewing--before
enucleation and when interviewed. The interval between enucleation and the
interview varied between 2 and 25 years. Eighty-seven percent (62/71)
reported no change in their ability to perform these important
vision-dependent tasks. At 15 years after enucleation, 90% (18/20) retained
the ability to drive and 96% (25/26) retained the ability to read. These
results are reassuring for those with choroidal melanoma who are faced with
enucleation, because most of these patients seem likely to continue at a
level of visual function comparable with their preenucleation status.
