Vision Loss After Plaque Radiotherapy for Posterior Uveal Melanoma

Uveal melanoma is the most common cancer that arises inside the eye. Today, most patients are treated with plaque radiotherapy, a highly effective form of targeted radiation that saves the eye and controls the tumor. While this treatment is life-saving, many patients experience gradual and sometimes severe vision loss in the treated eye, which can affect daily activities, independence, and overall quality of life.

A loss of 15 or more letters on a standard eye chart represents a meaningful decline in vision that patients can notice in everyday tasks such as reading, driving, or recognizing faces. Although this level of vision loss is widely used in clinical trials and by regulatory agencies, little is known about when it typically occurs and which patients are at highest risk after treatment for ocular melanoma.

This project studies vision outcomes in a large group of 4,000 patients who were treated with plaque radiotherapy for uveal melanoma before the routine use of modern vision-protecting injections. By carefully analyzing long-term vision changes, we aim to understand how often significant vision loss occurs, how soon after treatment it develops, and how tumor size and treatment factors influence this risk.

The results of this study will help doctors provide clearer and more personalized information to patients at the time of diagnosis. It will also provide a critical comparison point for newer treatments designed to reduce vision loss after radiation therapy. Ultimately, this work supports the goal of not only saving patients’ lives but also preserving their vision and quality of life.