Introduction:

Uveal melanoma is the most common intraocular cancer in adults, represents approximately 3 % to 5 % of all melanomas; with a peak incidence in men in the sixth decade of life.

Objective

: To describe the clinical presentation, diagnosis and treatment of a patient with uveal melanoma.

Clinical case:

A 39-year-old female patient, with a health history, who came to the consultation due to intense pain of twelve days of evolution located in the right eye, associated with loss of vision, pain with eye movements, asthenia and anorexy. Physical examination revealed severe palpebral edema, abundant mucopurulent secretions, marked 360-degree conjunctival chemosis, and cilio-conjunctival hyperemia in the right eye. Analytical and imaging studies were performed. When analyzing the results of the physical and complementary examination, the surgical intervention consisting of right orbital exenteration, sphenoidectomy and right transorbital ethmoidectomy was decided. With a satisfactory evolution, she was discharged from the hospital. Biopsy reported choroidal melanoma.

Conclusions:

Choroidal melanoma is a rare ocular entity in young black women. Symptomatology is extremely variable with choroidal masses. It is important to know its characteristics, since these clinical effects serve as a reminder for ophthalmologists to include it in the differential diagnosis of other ocular pathologies.

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