| Summary: | <b>Purpose:</b> To study the clinical and histopathological characteristics of uveal melanomas in Asian Indians and compare them with other ethnic groups. <b> Materials and Methods: </b> One hundred and three enucleated eyes with clinical diagnosis of uveal melanoma were retrospectively studied (1987-2001) and the clinical and pathological features analysed. <b> Results: </b> Uveal melanomas constituted 0.02% of outpatients in a referral eye hospital in India over a 12-year period. The patients were predominantly males. Uveal melanomas tended to occur in the younger age. The mean age was 45.7±14.2 years. Melanoma involved the choroid in 90 (87.37%) patients, and both choroid and ciliary body in 13 (12.62%) patients. Mean basal diameter of the tumour was 13.43±5.32 mm. Mixed cell type was more common. <b> Conclusion:</b> Uveal melanomas are rare in the Asian Indians compared to those in the West. They occur in younger persons, have a greater mean basal diameter than that of Caucasians and are predominantly of the mixed cell type.
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