[Rupture of the hemato-ocular barrier, studied by fluorophotometry, in uveal melanoma patients. Preliminary results].

PURPOSE

To evaluate the use of intravenous vitreous fluorophotometry in assessment of the blood-aqueous barrier in eyes with uveal melanoma.

METHOD

Vitreous fluorophotometry was performed before treatment in 14 patients with uveal melanoma. Both eyes of patients were examined, and fifteen control healthy patients were examined between November 1996 and December 1996 at the department of ophthalmology of Bicêtre hospital.

RESULTS

Tumors with height > 6 mm and serous retinal detachments were accompanied by marked alterations of the blood-aqueous barrier, vitreous fluorophotometry showed diffusion of dye in posterior, mid and anterior vitreous: 2.99 ng/ml in the posterior vitreous and 5.20 ng/ml in the anterior vitreous. The posterior vitreous fluorescence at 60 minutes in the control eyes was 1.43 ng/ml and 1.30 ng/ml in the anterior vitreous. Diffusion of dye was present in the posterior vitreous in patients with tumor height less than 6 mm: 2.38 ng/ml (1.43 ng/ml in control eyes) at 60 minutes.

CONCLUSIONS

Fluorophotometry provides a method for the assessment of the blood-aqueous ocular barrier in eyes with choroidal melanoma.