To investigate the epidemiologic and clinical features of uveal melanomas in Korean patients.

The medical records of 35 patients (35 eyes) with the diagnosis of uveal melanoma between September 2004 and December 2006 were reviewed retrospectively.

Of the 35 patients, 22 were males (62.9%) and 13 were females (37.1%), with a mean age at diagnosis of 48.2±14.1 years (range, 24-82 years). Decreased visual acuity was the most common symptom in 23 patients (65.7%), while 6 patients (17.1%) were detected without prior symptoms. The shape of the uveal melanoma was dome-shaped in 27 eyes (77.1%) and mushroom-shaped in 8 eyes (22.9%). The mean largest basal diameter of the tumors was 9.0±3.3 mm (2.4-19.0 mm), and the mean apical height was 6.2±2.6 mm (1.1-13.0 mm). The tumors were classified according to their size; a small melanoma was found in 4 eyes (11.4%), a medium melanoma in 29 eyes (82.9%), and a large melanoma in 2 eyes (5.7%).

Uveal melanomas manifest earlier in Korean patients than in Caucasian patients. At the time of diagnosis, 33 eyes (94.3%) had small or medium melanomas that could be treated.