Small melanomas of the choroid.

We reviewed 38 cases of small choroidal melanomas on file in the Eye Pathology Laboratory of Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Miami. Clinical and histopathological features of these cases were noted, and clinical follow-up information was obtained for 36 (95%) of the patients. Two tumor deaths occurred among the 18 patients that had a possible follow-up period of six years of more, yielding a tumor death rate of 11%. Retrospective analysis of clinical records and photographs permitted us to correlate the presence or absence of documented tumor growth with the degree of mitotic activity.